A Change of Life: Book I
by Zeepacna
Summary: Dean couldn't take anymore, so he prayed, and God answered. Now he and Sam are attending Hogwarts and are friends with Harry Potter "The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Attract-Trouble" as the Winchester's find themselves on a whole new adventure.
1. Prologue

**_Disclaimer_****_: Not mine, just playing in Kripky's and Rowling's sandbox, therefore no money is being made from this fan fiction_**

**_This Story will be cannon for supernatural until 7.15 Repo Man, after which it goes au.  
><em>**

**_Mix of Both book and movie cannon for the Harry Potter universe where appropriate.  
><em>**

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><p><strong><em><span>A Change of Life: Book I<span>_**

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

It was too much, Dean couldn't bare it. After everything, the apocalypse, Crowley, Eve, Cas and the leviathan. Having to sit there and watch Sam, lost, locked within his own mind, trapped in his own personal hell with Lucifer. Dean was at the end of himself, he was ready to end it. For both him and Sam.

If the world wanted to end so badly, then fine. Let it end. It wasn't his problem. He was done, him and Sam. Yeah, they were done.

"No, nononono. Oh God, please, no. Deeeeeeeaaaaaaaannnnnnn." Sam pained cries echoed in the small room. Dean having already tied his brother down earlier when Sam in the midst of his wild flailing, had almost hurt himself.

Sitting in the chair opposite Sam's bed, Dean hunched over, putting his head in his hands and closed his eyes. Then Dean did something surprising, he prayed. "God, ah, I don't even know why I'm doing this. Seriously though, if you're out there, I can't do this anymore. I mean dude, come on. I'm human, I've stood against everything that life's thrown my way, but please. I can't... I can't lose Sam, can't lose my brother. I'm not going to bargain or make any promises, you'd probably just see strait through it anyway. But please, I'm begging you, give me back my brother."

Then something happened that Dean really wasn't expecting. There was a reply. "OK." Dean leapt out of the chair and spun around to see that the owner of the voice was none other than Chuck. "What the hell?" was out of Dean's mouth before he even realised that he was speaking, as he stared incredulously at the sudden appearance of the Prophet of the Lord.

"Your right Dean. Life has dealt you a crappy hand. I mean first your Mum dies, and then your Dad became a dead beat. Then he goes and dies. Then Sam dies and in order to save him you end up in hell. When you get back Sam's gone off the rails and ends up releasing Lucifer, and you find out the only way to fix it without destroying the planet is to let Sam go to hell. Then miraculously you get him back. But he's different, wrong even, and it turns out, he doesn't have a soul anymore. You manage to get it back, but by then he's been in hell so long that he needs a wall in his brain in order to function. Which is all well and good till your BFF Cas needs to distract you and breaks it, sending your brother down the inevitable crazy road. Then to put the icing on the angel cake, Cas gets himself eaten by the leviathan. Did I miss anything? Oh yes of course, the head Dick goes and kills Bobby."

Dean could only stare, as the Prophet put his life in a really sucky nut shell. "So now what? Huh, why are you here?"

Chuck gave Dean a level stare and then sighed. "You prayed Dean, and I'm here to answer it." Chuck held up a hand to forestall any questions that Dean might have had and continued on. "You and your brother have stood against everything that has been pelted your way, you didn't always get it right, but you did always make it right. Together. Then Cas came along and you got something you never had, a friend. A friend you will need to forgive. But nevertheless something that was yours. So now, I'm going to send you and your brother to your next life. It won't be boring, in fact, you will properly recognise it. Cas is going to be there with you too as well as another. A leviathan, one who has both a human soul and is one of my Prophets, so there will be no reason for you to fear it. Good luck Dean. We won't see each other again."

"Whoa Whoa, wait. Next life? And What about Sam, I mean his fruitcake is fried..." Dean asked waiving his hands as his brain tried to process all the information he had been given. Chuck just smiled indulgently and replied with "Sam will be fine." Then as Dean watched Chuck press two finger to his forehead, his whole world went dark.

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><p>Fire. Tearing. Pulling. Breaking. Fire. Pain. Dean. These were the thoughts that were circling in Sam's mind. An endless cycle of torture and fire and pain. And then suddenly there wasn't. It was weird. Sam sat up and looked around the room. It was white. It was a white box, no doors and no windows. In fact there was nothing but him and the bed he was sitting on. "huh.."<p>

Sam got up to look around, even though there wasn't much too look at, when there was suddenly a voice behind him. "Hello Sam"

Spinning around, Sam suddenly came face to face with Chuck. Thinking he was hallucinating Sam's only comment on the magically appearing so-called Prophet of the Lord was, "wow, that's a new one."

"I'm not a hallucination Sam." Was the reply Chuck gave, this and the look that he leveled at Sam, that deep Soul penetrating gaze that he had only ever received from an angel, led him to believe that he was telling the truth. Except that Chucks gaze cut deeper, the sharp blue eyes of the Prophet seeing everything, everything he was, that he is and all that he could have been. Suddenly Sam's legs couldn't hold him up and he sat heavily on the bed. Swallowing hard Sam asked the question that he knew was really a statement. "You're God, aren't you?" Chucks only reply was only a single nod of the head and with that Sam couldn't look at the Prophet? Man? God? anymore.

Thoughts, feelings, and guilt suddenly raged through Sam and he wasn't sure how much time passed till the one all encompassing thought of Dean swelled within his overloaded mind. Turing back to Chuck (and Sam really couldn't reconcile the drunk prophet that he first met with the idea of God) "Please help Dean, he didn't deserve any of it. Our life, hell, me always screwing up. He deserves to be happy. Please"

Chuck looked at Sam and chuckled. "You've learned some hard lessons Sam, and I'm proud of you, good luck in the future."

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" Sam asked as Chuck stepped towards him. Then the one time prophet pressed two fingers to his forehead and Sam's whole world went dark.

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><p>He was floating. He wasn't in his vessel, but his true form. This was the first time he had seen it since raising Dean from perdition and taking Jimmy Novak as a vessel four years ago. He was defiantly surprised by what he saw. Castiel, as one of the seraphim knew what he was supposed to look like. The seraphim were large, they had six wings along with four faces one each of a man, lamb, eagle and a lion.<p>

His current form however, looked nothing like that. He had Jimmy Novak's body and face, which he had come to identify as his own and a large set of raven black wings. He was also naked, which in itself wasn't that worrying. What was worrying though, was the condition his body was in. He was covered in burns filled with sulphur, infected cuts, other people's blood and thick black ooze. The feathers on his back which should have been a beautiful shining expanse of smooth black, were instead matted and covered in filth, along with various patches where the feathers were missing.

Looking at himself, Castiel knew that the current condition of his body had nothing to do with his physical state and everything to do with the sins and atrocities that he had committed in the last two years. Falling to his knees Castiel did the only thing he could think of, he prayed. "Father, please, hear me. I know that I am not worthy of that but please. I have sinned against my friends, my brothers, against heaven and against you. In my arrogance I have released the ancient serpent into the world once again. I surrender myself to your will. Judge me as you see fit."

As he knelt in the silence of eternity, Castiel felt a hand on his shoulder and watched in amazement as the wounds healed and the filth that covered his body fell away. Turning and looking over his shoulder he saw Chuck, but a deep longing, buried at the very core of his grace told Castiel who this man really was. "Father". Chuck smiled, "Hello Castiel".

Castiel didn't know how to react, he had spent so long searching, so many prayers trying to find his father and yet here, now at the end of all things he was there. Standing there, in the presence of his father, the only thing Castiel could feel was shame.

"Castiel, this was a lesson." his father's voice was stern, and his gaze unyielding. "One you needed to learn. I cannot condone what you did, but you need to know the price of pride, and of arrogance." At this Chucks gaze softened and he continued. "I'm sending you to the same place that I have sent Sam and Dean. Don't worry if you Don't run into them straight away, and I'm sending a prophet as well. I believe you met her when you opened purgatory, do you recall Illyria?"

Castiel paled. He did remember her. She was a monarch, a ruler amongst the old ones. Powerful and bloodthirsty, Castiel didn't understand why his father was sending such monstrous entity with them, but given everything that he had done recently, he did not question his father's will.

"She won't be as you knew her, Cas, but she will still be a leviathan, just as you will still be an angel, although where you're going, that won't mean as much. Good luck Cas." And with that his Father touched his forehead with a kiss and Castiel knew no more.

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><p>Illyria was pleased. At first she had been pissed, some worm of an angel had decided to absorb all of purgatory, the ancient well where all beings the human maggots considered monsters were imprisoned. Millions upon millions of souls as well as the entire leviathan race, all forcibly housed within one angel, a tight squeeze wasn't even close to describing the lack of space. So when the angel went to return the souls, Illyria went with them.<p>

Besides herself, only two other leviathan returned with her, and with the mother dead the three of them had the rule of purgatory firmly within their grasp. So yes, the ancient monarch was pleased. But alas it was not to be. Illyria had just set out to ensure the obedience of the lesser monster souls that inhabited purgatory, when she felt a presence that she had not encountered since the beginning of time itself. "El Shaddai* it has been a long time." The entity smiled and replied "Indeed it has. I have a job for you my child."

"Really?" came the reply "As lovely as that sounds El Elyon*, I am quite content here. You should be happy, I'm not off terrorizing your barely sentient beings made out of mud."

Taking on the form of Chuck, God leveled Illyria with a firm gaze. "I'm not giving you a choice in this." And suddenly there was what appeared to be a ball of light in Chuck's hand.

At the appearance of the light ball Illyria looked truly terrified "You wouldn't? A soul would kill me, the guilt of all I have done, I wouldn't survive it!"

At this Chuck smirked "Am I not El Shaddai? El Elyon? I free you from the weight of guilt, for this is my will, you will be my guide to those I send you to. Enjoy the truth of emotion and free will." With these words Chuck pressed the human soul into the leviathan. Illyria screamed as the human soul merged with her native form, just when she felt she could endure no more, blackness enveloped the leviathan.

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><p><strong>Translations<strong>

El Shaddai ~ Hebrew ~ God almighty

El Elyon ~ Hebrew ~ God Most High


	2. Welcome To The New World

_**Disclaimer**__**: Not mine, just playing in Kripky's and Rowling's sandbox, therefore no money is being made from this fan fiction**_

**Chapter 1 Welcome to the new world.**

October 1979

As Severus Snape Knelt in front of his toilet and emptied the meager contents of his stomach for the 3rd morning that week, he swore to every deity he could think of that he would never get drunk and go trawling for bed partners ever again.

Getting up off the floor Severus went to the bathroom vanity in order to brush his teeth. As he looked in the mirror he once again cursed the heavens. Severus was a wizard, gifted with the ability to use magic. This ability to use magic came from the magical core that all witches and wizards are born with. It was also, thanks to certain abilities granted by this magical core, was the reason for Severus's most recent appointment with the porcelain express.

In wizards, if they are powerful enough, the magical core that they carry will allow them to conceive, carry and birth a child. While this is rare, for there are not many homosexual wizards around, the phenomenon is not unheard of.

"Shit." This one word, Severus felt, summed up perfectly his current point in life. He was a 19 year old wizard, A death eater and pregnant, swell. If that wasn't enough for him to question the current direction of his life, then the fact that The Dark Lord knew of said pregnancy certainly did. Given that the pregnancy was only approximately 6 weeks in gestation spoke to the power of the child that he carried, as the Dark Lord, a supremely powerful wizard, who had the ability to sense magic in others, had sensed the second magical core of the child he was carrying. Severus was now under orders to find the father of the child and, if possible, try and recruit him to the cause, as well as confirm the Dark Lords belief that the man came from a pure blood lineage.

It would take three days to make the potion to trace paternity, longer if Severus continued to stand their looking at his reflection in the mirror. With one last sigh, Severus left the bathroom to start the day and get to work.

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><p>It was a pleasant evening in the Weasley household as the ever expanding Weasley family was preparing for dinner. Arthur Weasley looked towards the dinner table with a fond smile as he watched his 5 children. The eldest was 8 year old William or Bill as he liked to be called, followed by 6 year old Charlie. Next was 3 year old Percy and then the twins, 1 year old Fred and George. Humming to herself in the kitchen was his wife Molly. They had been married for 10 years now, and in spite of the time that had passed, Arthur was still very much in love with his wife.<p>

Arthur's smile brightened as he placed a hand on the swell of his wife's belly and felt a small kick from the child within. The boy was due sometime in late February of the next year, and his arrival would bring the Weasley broods number up to six. As with his five earlier sons Arthur was excited at becoming a father once again.

As the Weasley sat to begin their meal, Arthur mused to himself that perhaps they could name the boy Rufus, or possibly Ronald. Shaking his head Arthur banished the thought to the back of his mind. The boy would not be borne for another four months, so they still had time to sort out such things.

As Arthur sat and contentedly listened to his families idle meal time chatter, there came a knock on the door. "Well I wonder who that could be?" Arthur wondered out loud as he rose to answer the door.

As it so happened, Arthur's unexpected visitors turned out to be none other than his twin brother's-in-law, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, along with Gideon's wife Teresa, and Fabian's fiancee, Isabella LeBlanc. "Arthur, how are you this evening?" Gideon enquired, " Good, we have just sat down for supper if you would like to join us?" Isabella, touching a hand to Arthurs forearm replied, "oh no, we couldn't impose, how about we come back in an hour?" "Nonsense, there is plenty for everyone, come in and join us." Arthur insisted.

As the five returned to the dining table, various greetings and salutations were called out, as the five Weasley children were all excited to see their aunts and uncles. "So," Molly asked "what brings you here?". Gideon, looking at his wife then proceeding to grin like an idiot, turned to his older sister "We have some good news." Then throwing another grin at his twin, who smirked back. "Teresa and I are having twins!" Molly's gobsmacked expression only lasted a moment, before she was you of her seat and hugging her brother and his wife.

The joyous atmosphere that night was filled will congratulations, celebration of new life and plans for the future, was one that not even the threat of the self titled Lord Voldemort could touch.

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><p>Biggin Hill was a ward located within the London Borough of Bromley, which in turn was part of the greater city of London itself. In a white house with blue doors, at number 6 Nelson Close, Biggin Hill, a married couple by the name of Ryan and Marisa Novak were partaking of the age old tradition known as assembling the crib. At the age of 39 and 37 respectively, Ryan and Marisa never thought that they would experience the simple joy of preparing a nursery, as earlier in their marriage they had tried, only to be told by several doctors, that Marisa was infertile. Yet here they were, two months away from welcoming a child into their lives.<p>

"Why is it dearest," Ryan asked his giggling wife "that you need a degree in engineering to assemble a simple crib?" giving a small laugh at her husband's current state, sitting in the pale blue room, surrounded by screws, bolts and various pieces of bed frame, Marisa could only shake her head. "I believe it is a rite of passage into fatherhood." Was her jesting reply.

Ryan could only smile as he watched his wife. That small almost secret smile on her face as she rubbed the swell of her abdomen. Looking up at him she said "I still almost can't believe it, after all the doctors saying that there was little to no chance, and yet, here we are. It's like a miracle." Getting up and wrapping his arms around his wife, one hand resting on her belly, and kissing her cheek he replied "yes it is."

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><p>Severus eyed the potion warily, a week had passed since he began, as he had managed to get it wrong the first time. With a heavy sigh Severus placed three drops of his blood into the mixture, shaking it well, then pouring it onto the waiting parchment. Unable to watch he walked into the kitchen in order to occupy himself by getting a glass of water while waiting for the required 3 minutes to pass.<p>

Once he was satisfied enough time had passed, Severus returned to his study and the waiting parchment.

_Sirius __Orion __Black III_

Fuck...


	3. Embracing New Life

**_Disclaimer: Second verse, same as the first, all recognizable characters belong to someone else. Also this fan fiction is a non profit venture. _**

**Chapter 2 Embracing New Life**

December 1979

Severus was currently sitting at a booth in the Leaky Cauldron in London, waiting for one Sirius Black to arrive. Still cursing himself for being so stupid, Severus sat back and mused on the series of events that had brought him to this point.

It had come on the back of a Death Eater revel. Death Eater revels had always been bad, what with all the killing and torturing of muggles and muggle borns that that happened at these events. But no, this one had seemed worse, Severus could even pinpoint what exactly it was about that particular revel that had gotten to him.

It had taken place during the second week in September. The "entertainment" Severus thought sarcastically, had been a muggle family. Husband, Wife, two Daughters and one Son.

For the atrocities committed against the mother, father, the boy and the youngest daughter, Severus was able to once again suppress his conscience and endure. However it was the older of the two daughters, a girl who was no more than sixteen years of age, she did get to him.

Whenever she could, between the beatings, torture, and other unspeakable acts that the Death Eaters inflicted upon the young girl, she would look up and stare at him, always at him, begging him with both her eyes and her words, "Please, please help me." In a way Severus was grateful when she was finally killed, as he would no longer have to endure her pleas and she was no longer in pain.

This however did not lessen the guilt that he felt. So Severus, like so many other men throughout the ages, decided to go out and get roaring drunk in order to try and cope. Placing a glamour on himself (Severus did not wish to run into any acquaintances, especially ones wishing to "chat") and proceeded to the Hogs Head. After two hours, and who knows how many fire whiskeys later, Severus and his (at the time) sandy haired drinking companion retreated to the men's room for a bout of quick, dirty, sloppy sex.

Afterwards Severus went home and thought little of it beyond the raging hangover he had the next day. Well that is, until four weeks later when the first symptoms of the pregnancy manifested themselves in the form of his magic acting up.

And Severus, sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, waiting for one of his Hogwarts nemesis's to show up, couldn't help but feel, that his life just went downhill from there.

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><p>Ryan Novak was positively beaming as he stepped into the church. Four day's previously, on December 13th, 1979, after seventeen hours of labour, his wife Marisa had given birth to a beautiful baby boy. The newborn had a shock of black hair and his wife's bright blue eyes.<p>

Ryan, having been kicked out of the hospital by the nurses (whom Ryan was privately convinced had been Nazi's in a previous life) for the one hour afternoon rest period. So in need of something to do during this time, decided to do something useful. That is how he found himself in his local church, knocking on the office door of one father Clemmens.

The door opened to reveal father Clemmens himself, he was a man in his late 50's, with grey streaked through his once brown hair. With a smile he greeted his current visitor "Ryan, how are you? What brings you here today?"

"Well father, as I'm sure you have heard, Marisa had the baby last week." Came Ryan's reply, the pride obvious in his voice. "Yes I did hear that, a young boy yes? It must be exciting for you both. How is Marisa doing?" Ryan smiled as he answered, "Yes a boy, 8lb 5oz, perfectly healthy. Marisa is somewhat tired, obviously, but other than that, overjoyed."

"oh good. So what can I help you with?" the father enquired. "Well father, I was hoping I could schedule his christening with you, for say, in six weeks time?" The father reached for a ledger as he replied " Of course, hum, how does Saturday the 26th of January work for you?"

"That will be fine." Taking a pen, father Clemmens began to make a note of the appointment, "So that will Ryan and Marisa Novak for the christening of baby...?" the father trailed off, waiting for Ryan to give him the name of the child. Ryan sighed. It had been four day's since the boy had been born, and yet, he and Marisa still could not agree on a name. Taking a deep breath, Ryan proceed to explain the conundrum, "Marisa want his name to be associated with the day he was born, Thursday, but so far everything she has suggested has been fairly outrageous. So far the options have been Jupiter, Pámpti, Torstaí, Alamisi and Khamisi." At this Ryan Took a deep breath and looked around the office, as he did he spotted an image, a rendering of the Archangel Gabriel, it was as if in that moment a light bulb had been switched on in his mind.

Turning his gaze back to father Clemmens he asked "Father, are their angels that govern certain days?" understanding where the man was going with the question, Father Clemmens pulled a book off the nearby shelf as he replied, "Yes there is, hum, ah yes, here it is. Castiel, Castiel is the angel of Thursday, Travel and change. He will help anyone born on this day or anyone who asks for help on this day. The angel can help us if there are changes in our life which may involve a lot of travelling or moving to a new country."

Ryan said the name out loud a few time as he flipped it over in his mind. "Yes, I think that will do. Castiel James Novak." He said with a smile. Checking his watch and realizing that it was time he was getting back to his wife and son. "Thank you father for all your help, but I really must be getting back." Getting and shaking hands the father replied, "of course, any time Ryan. I do look forward to seeing the three of you at service on Sunday."

"Till then." And with that Ryan left the office and made his way back to the hospital so as to inform his wife that he had solved the dilemma of naming their son.

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><p>Sirius had no idea why he was here. Well that wasn't true, he did know why he here. He was here because Snivellus had been pestering him nonstop for the last month wanting to meet. The only reason Sirius had agreed was to get the disagreeable git to stop sending owls every day.<p>

What Sirius, however, was failing to understand was, why in the hell did Snivellus "dungeon bat" Snape want to meet him.

Taking a deep breath, Sirius walked into the Leaky Cauldron. As he scanned the room, he spotted James and Remus, who had come as back-up in case things went south, sitting inconspicuously in a corner. Breathing a sigh of relief at the presence of his friends, he made his way over to the booth were Severus was sitting.

"Snape", "Black" The greeting was as cordial as these two men were ever going to get. Severus seemed to take a moment to steel himself, then reaching into a pocket, produced several pieces of parchment and handed them to Sirius. As Sirius glanced at the documents, all of them bearing the official St Mungos seal, Severus spoke. "If you are wondering as to the how, I'm sure you will recall a night in September spent in the Hogs Head, I believe you were a dirty blond at the time."

Not wanting to be present for when the other man finally made sense of the information that he had been given, (triggering what was sure, no doubt, to be a spectacular Sirius Black explosion) Severus stood, and dropped several coins on the table for his drink. "When you're ready to discuss this like an adult, owl me." and with that, he turned and left.

Several days later the rumor mill informed Severus that yes, Black's explosion had been spectacular indeed.


	4. Braving New Frontiers

_**Disclaimer: Second verse, same as the first, all recognizable characters belong to someone else. Also this fan fiction is a non profit venture. **_

**Chapter 3 Braving New Frontiers**

March 1980

Hell. He was in hell, it was the only reasonable explanation that Severus could come up with that could explain the torture that he had been forced to endure. The morning sickness, the constant need to pee, the weight gain and the weird food cravings (he still couldn't believe he had yogurt with mayonnaise and sardines for breakfast.) Then of course there was Black...

Oh God, Black. Severus was at the point where he was willing to walk through the ninth circle of hell if it meant he would be free of Sirius Black.

After initially informing Black of his impending fatherhood, the man didn't speak to him for a month. Then when the idiot finally pulled his head out of his own ass and decided to man up and take his new reasonability seriously, he became, as far as Severus was concerned at least, a menace.

It had started at the first healer appointment that Black had decided to grace with his presence. Severus had been in his twentieth week of the pregnancy at the time, and up until that point Sirius's involvement seemed to solely stem from some idiotic sense of Gryffindor duty. He arrived, gave the healer all of the requested background information and managed to fit in a few snide remarks about Severus's expanding waistline.

All of this however, ceased the moment Black saw the magically produced image of the child. As the pair watched, the healer explained to them that the baby was a girl, a little over 7in in length from head to rump, and weighed approximately 1lb. After that the appointment concluded without further incident, and Black left to do whatever it was that Black did with his time.

It was the following morning that seemed to set the tempo of their relationship. Black pounded on the door at 10 o'clock, they discussed one or two important topics, which turned into an hour of the two men bickering back and forth, till Black got fed up and left. Severus and Sirius by no means liked each other, but they were however, both intelligent enough to realise that they were going to be interacting with each other on a regular basis for the foreseeable future. So while they weren't cordial, they were at least civil.

That however, didn't mean they agreed on anything. The bickering between the two men was constant, and in the end it was Lucius Malfoy, after having to endure an hour of Severus's bitching in regard to the idiotic Gryffindor, that he suggested they get a lawyer. Despite his initial reservations about the idea, after three meetings with the Law wizard, Severus was ready to concede that Lucius was a genius. It was somewhat disturbing to see all of his parental rights and obligations in the form of the black and white legal document, but in the end it did help to curb the majority of his and Sirius's fighting.

The law wizard however, was useless as far as their currently escalating disagreement was concerned. The current disagreement was also the reason that Severus felt like he was in hell.

"No Black, I refuse to name my daughter Immaculada."

"Why not? What's wrong with it?"

"Really? You really don't see the problem with it? It means 'of the immaculate conception' for God sakes." Sirius laughed as if this was some private joke. "Come on Snape, you and I both know that we hate each other, I think the fact that we are even having a daughter together is nothing short of immaculate." Severus groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Illyria"

"What does it mean" suspicion lacing every inch of Sirius's voice. Severus paused for a moment "I'll let you give her the Black family name." Sirius took a moment to think this over, because up until that point, Severus had been adamant that their daughter would be a Snape. "OK" Severus sighed in obvious relief. "So Illyria Eileen Prince Snape Black." "Andromeda" came Sirius's rebuttal "Illyria Andromeda" Severus nodded. Over all it had taken three hours of the semi hostile conversation for the two men to come to an agreement, and Severus wasn't sure whether they're arguments were getting better or worse.

Severus relaxed into his chair as Sirius left. Thinking to himself that he only had another twenty years of this kind of interaction.

That walk through the ninth circle of hell was looking more and more appealing.

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><p>May 1980<p>

Teresa could not help but watch the two small boys sleeping in the crib. The twins had been born two weeks earlier. The oldest of the two boys was Dean Menelaus Prewett born at 11:50 pm on May 1st, twenty minutes later, at 12:10am on May 2nd Dean was joined by his fraternal twin brother Samuel Aiden Prewett.

The two boys were currently curled up together in the same crib in the nursery, painted a soft green colour. It had been a big change, having to adjust to having the two new small people to care for, but seeing the brothers laying so peacefully together, made the effort worth it.

Even so, despite all the excitement and joy brought about by the newest Prewett family members, Teresa could not shake the foreboding sense that she would not see the twins first birthday. Pushing this morbid thought to the back of her mind, Teresa left the room.


	5. Growing Up, Take two

_**Disclaimer: I am better looking than **__**Kripky and Rowling, unfortunately that means the characters do not belong to me.**_

**Chapter 4 Growing Up, Take Two**

Fate, it was well known, could be a fickle bitch. It was early in the course and Sam and Dean's second life, in which the boy's came to the conclusion that fate, was determined to screw them over, no matter what reality they were in. It had happened once again on a November 2, this time in 1980. Gideon and Teresa Prewett had just returned home from an order meeting when the Death Eater attack took place, killing both of them, as well as Gideon's twin brother Fabian and his new wife Isabella, who had been with them at the time.

After that Sam and Dean, who had been with a sitter at the time of the attack, were sent to live with their aunt and uncle, Molly and Arthur Weasley. Despite the early passing of their parents, being raised in the loving care of their aunt and uncle, Sam and Dean thrived.

For Sam, this new life was a Dream come true, no constant moving, no hunting and best of all, hell was gone! It was like someone had taken a giant eraser to his brain and attacked the memories he carried of hell with extreme prejudice. It was kind of weird in some spots though, because he still remembered having the flashbacks and hallucinations, but he couldn't remember what they were about.

Sam loved having a family as well. Dean would always be his brother, they had a bond that could never be broken (Sam suspected that they were soul mates in the platonic sense, not that he would ever tell Dean that), but for Sam having a normal family life and to just be a kid, he couldn't have asked for more.

For Dean, living with the Weasley's was a relief. After years of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, to just relax and live life was the best thing that could have happened. In spite of the fact that he and Sam had never picked up a Harry Potter book in their lives, Dean hadn't spent his former life living under a rock. So while he might not have known all the details, he did have some idea of when the other shoe was going to drop and what said shoe would look like. So with this knowledge in mind Dean was able to enjoy his childhood, he had a non crazy Sam, and nothing would be coming for him, life was good.

* * *

><p>Castiel was one of those children who were considered, odd. No one could really put their finger on it, he was a polite, intelligent well spoken boy, and it was like he just didn't get the world. So with this in mind, it came as a surprise, when six months into his first year of school, Castiel made his first and only real friend.<p>

It was lunch time and Castiel was reading under his favourite tree. Having grown up as a human in this life, he had a better grasp of human nature and how to interact with people, but there were times when people as a whole still puzzled him. So when it all became too overwhelming, he had two things that he turned to, reading and art. As an artist, Castiel was considered talented for a 6 year old and would often sit in the yard at home or in that park and just draw what he could see. Today however he had turned to reading, reading was easy, narratives had certain expectations that they usually followed and the characters motives were explained, as opposed to people in real life where you just had to guess.

He had just started on 'Treasure Island' when he heard the sound of someone crying, getting up Castiel found it was one of his classmates, a girl, Hermione Granger, and she had been as much of an outcast as he himself was. Making a decision Cas went over to help her, putting a hand on her shoulder he asked "are you alright?"

"It was Jason Connolly, he said nerd's don't have friends" she replied through sniffles. Taking a breath, Castiel decided to do something he had been afraid to do since he had betrayed Dean, "I'll be you friend Hermione"

"You will?"she asked, and Castiel could hear the hope in her voice. "Yes". After that the two were inseparable.

* * *

><p>After the fall of Voldemort and Sirius Black's incarceration in Azkaban, Severus threw himself into his work and his daughter. Illyria had been born on the 18th of June 1980, she had Severus's black hair, dark eyes and pale skin, but thankfully Sirius's nose and chin.<p>

The father and daughter pair lived at Hogwarts for the most part, only spending the summer holidays at Severus's home in Spinster's End. When Sirius had been imprisoned, it was Narcissa Malfoy who stepped in to help, Illyria would spend the school day with her and her son Draco, joining his tutoring lessons, then come back to the school and Shadow Severus until bedtime. Any student who thought that Snape would be less intimidating in the presence of a small girl who liked bright blue leggings and had pigtails in her hair quickly learned that this was not the case, as Illyria had inherited the Snape scowl and would use it liberally when she joined her father for detentions.

Illyria was a quiet child who abhorred bullies, and would quite happily dob in any she came across, she was also, like Severus, something of a potions prodigy, and would happily spend her weekends helping her father brew potions.

* * *

><p>And life went on for the four, all content to sit back and let the future come, none of them realizing that their fate would be intertwined with that of a green eyed boy with glasses and a lightning bolt scar.<p> 


	6. The Wand Chooses The Wizard

_**Disclaimer: I am better looking than **__**Kripky and Rowling, unfortunately that means the characters do not belong to me.**_

**Chapter 5 The Wand Chooses The Wizard**

It was early in the summer holidays of 1991 when Severus Snape took his daughter to shop for her school supplies. In the coming September Illyria would be starting her first year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.

The duo made their way to their last stop, having already purchased books, robes, potion making supplies, a telescope and a new pet. The infant Eastern Indigo snake had been dubbed 'Cetus' and Severus was left with the strong suspicion that his daughter was a parselmouth, but Illyria being as sneaky as he himself could be, Severus had yet to find any proof to the theory. So with all of their other purchases in hand the pair entered Ollivander's for a wand.

Looking around the store front Severus groaned, the selves were littered with numerous breakable items, and he had the strong suspicion that Mr Ollivander got a kick out of watching unsuspecting children's shocked expressions when they blew up.

"Professor Snape, and young Miss Black, you're here for your first wand I take it? Well then let's get started." And with that the wand maker started measuring the small girl while Severus sat in a corner, as far from the coming explosions as he could get.

They started out with apple wood and dragon heart string, several glass jars exploded, then came Osage orange wood and phoenix feather, a poster on the wall caught fire. Ipe and unicorn hair, BANG. Mahogany and dragon heartstring, SMASH. Blackwood and phoenix feather, CRASH. It continued like that until they had gone through 28 different wands. Then Mr Ollivander brought out a rather dusty box and handed the wand inside to the girl.

There was a light breeze and the wand seemed to glow for a moment. "Interesting, that is a wand made of yew, with a serpent scale core, 12 ½in excellent for curses and divination. But be wary, yew wands can to lean towards the dark arts." As they left the store, Severus could not help but wonder what type of witch his daughter would become.

* * *

><p>Dean was excited, there really was no other way to describe it. The Weasley clan plus the two Prewett boys were in Diagon Ally buying school supplies. Sammy, the nerd, already had his nose stuck in one of his new school books as the group made their way to Ollivander's to buy wands.<p>

Stepping into the store, the group greeted the wand maker, who had him, Sam and Ron line up, and then proceeded to set his enchanted tape measure on them. At the end of the measuring process, Dean was ready to salt and burn the annoying thing, and seriously, what did the circumference of his left ankle have to do with finding a wand? Once the creepy tape measure was called off, the three boys started trying wands. Chaos reigned.

It was Sam who found his wand first, in a shower of bright red sparks, monterillo and dragon heartstring 13 ¼in, good for hexes and defence magic. Next was Ron, in a swirl of golden light, willow and unicorn hair 14in good wand for defence work and charms. Finally, half an hour after they started, Dean found his wand, when he first held the length of wood, Dean felt what he could only describe as a happy hum that reminded him of the rumble of the impala. The wand turned out to be made of elder wood with a griffin claw 12in good for banishment spells.

Dean took the time to look over his new wand as Mr Ollivander told him its properties, as he turned the length over, he could not help but let out a surprised breath, for there was an etching burnt into the side of the wand 'Non Timebo Mala', the wand maker, spotting what had caught Dean's attention supplied "it's Latin, meaning 'I will..." "I will fear no evil." Dean cut in.

Paying for their wands, the group left the store. Dean looking at the wand in his hands, the wand that bore the same inscription as The Colt did all those years ago, and Dean was really hoping it was just a coincidence, and not some kind of omen. But then, when did his life ever go the way he wanted it to?

* * *

><p>Castiel was moping. It was the only description that could be applied to the small dark haired boy as he skulked along following his parents. The reason for Castiel's recent dark mood had arrived one week earlier in the form of Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who had informed his parents that their son was a wizard. After a discussion that had lasted and hour, the Novak's decided that in the coming September, they would be sending Castiel to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While most 11 year old children would be ecstatic, the only thing Castiel could think of was that his only friend, Hermione would not be coming with him.<p>

So here he was a week later, trudging through an Ally that should not exist, and he was acting like a sullen child forced to go on a shopping trip. He was suddenly pulled of his rather good re-enactment of Eeyore's dark cloud by the smashing of several glass jars. Looking around Castiel realised he was in a store, one that was selling wands if the length of wood in his hand was anything to go by. "No, hum, try this one." And the older man who must have been running the store handed him anther wand.

And so it went, the man, who's name Castiel found out, was Garrick Ollivander, would hand him a wand, he would wave it, and something would explode. The change to this pattern came with the twelfth wand the man handed him, nothing exploded, and for the first time in eleven years, Castiel felt the pulse of his long buried grace. "That Mr Novak, is a wand made of birch with a unicorn hair core 11 ½in, an excellent wand for healing and protection spells." Castiel nodded to the man as his parents payed for the wand and the group left the store.

As the family made their way home, Castiel looked at the wand that was now his, there, etched into the length of the wood were three enochian characters, together, these characters spelt out the enochian word for guardian, and for the second time that day Castiel was suddenly reminded of his old life, of sitting on a carved stone bench in the snow, praying to a father that he had never seen, telling him that he still considered himself the Winchesters guardian. Seeing that one word gave him hope, that even though he would be leaving something precious behind, his father had a plan for him, and this time, Castiel was determined not to let him down.

* * *

><p>Authors Notes: This story will be a mix of both book and movie cannon for Harry Potter<p>

Due to the lack of details pertaining to the Supernatural verse Leviathans, this story will be using the standard mythology that the Leviathan's are giant sea serpents, so being a serpent, Illyria would be able to speak parseltongue


	7. Only The Most Epic Adventures Begin With

_**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise, belongs to someone else.**_

**Chapter 6 Only The Most Epic Adventures Begin With A Train Ride**

Sam was excited, he was finally going to Hogwarts, back in his original life there were thousands of people who would give anything for this, and here he and his brother had been sent to this reality, by God no less, and they were going to learn magic. Sam felt that he was entitled to geek out over this fact.

Sam also was smart enough to know that bad things would be coming, but he figured if he kept his head down and his nose out of it he would be right, right? Who was he kidding, he and Dean were hunters, knowing their luck, they would end up smack bang in the middle of it, because the threw themselves there, but for the moment he was happy to live with the illusion that it wasn't his problem.

Sam's nice little bubble of denial was burst no less than 2 minutes later when a boy about his age, with dark messy hair and round gasses asked aunt Molly how to get to platform nine and three quarters. Living in denial suddenly went out the window.

* * *

><p>Dean kissed his Aunt Molly good-bye and got on the train. Looking for a compartment, he noticed the kid from earlier, the one asking how to get on the platform, sitting by himself. Dean, who prided himself on being a people person, decided to sit with the kid. "Hey mind if I sit here with you?"<p>

"Sure go ahead" said the boy, "Cool, thanks, Dean Prewett" said Dean holding out a hand "Harry Potter" came the reply, and before Dean could say anything else, Ron and Sam entered the compartment, Ron just sitting himself down while Sam remembered his manners "do you mind if we join you?"

"No, not at all" said Harry. "I'm Sam Prewett, Dean's twin, and this is our cousin, Ron Weasley"

"Harry Potter"

"Really?" piped up Ron, "So do you have the, you know?" Ron said pointing at his forehead.

"RON!"

"What Sam? It's a fair question." Came Ron's reply.

"It's alright Sam, really, I don't even remember what happened, here you can look if you want." And with that Harry lifted up his fringe to reveal the legendary scar.

"Wicked" stated Ron

"So, are all of your family wizards?" Asked Harry.

"Err, yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"Oh yes, because having an accountant in the family is soooo embarrassing." Came Dean's reply, his voice dripping with sarcasm, Ron blushed and Harry giggled. "So I'm guessing you all know loads of magic already, I mean your whole family being wizards and all."

"Not really, we only just got our wands this summer, and we're not meant to do magic outside of school" said Sam with a pointed look at Dean, "So don't worry, you'll be at the same level as everybody else." And with that Dean noticed the kid fully relax, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and in that moment, Dean decided that no matter what was coming this kids way, he would be there to help him out, after all, Dean felt that by this point, he was getting to be something of an expert when it came to carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he felt it his duty to make sure that Harry didn't have to do it alone. Sharing a look with Sam, he know that his brother was thinking the same thing, and with the way Ron and Harry seemed to connect, his cousin would be there as well.

Harry, sitting there with Ron, Sam and Dean, chatting about inconsequential things, didn't even realise that a family was building itself around him, to be there to protect him from the things that would soon be hunting the young boy.

* * *

><p>While Harry, Ron, Sam and Dean were becoming fast friends, several compartments down two friends were discussing the merits of different houses and where they think they might be sorted.<p>

It had taken Castiel a week after his trip to Diagon Ally to work up the courage to tell Hermione that they would not be going to school together in the coming September, only to find out she was going to tell him the same thing, and then the delight of finding out that, actually, yes they would be going to school, because, as it turned out Hermione was actually a witch.

After that the two spent the rest of their summer poring over their text books, trying to learn as much as they could about this new world that they would soon be joining. "I think Gryffindor sounds by far the best of all the houses" came Hermione's proclamation.

"And I think it sounds like a house full of imbeciles who go looking for trouble" was Castiel's monotone reply.

"Well which house would you prefer then?"

"I don't really mind, I think when we get there we will be put in the house we are meant to be in and that will be the end of it."

"True" came Hermione's subdued reply, she had just opened her mouth to say something else when a round faced boy poked his head in the compartment, he seemed upset. "Have either of you seen a Toad, I've lost one."

"No we haven't, but we could come help you look if you like." Hermione offered.

"Thank you that would be great, I'm Neville by the way."

"Hermione"

"Castiel" and with that the three set off, knocking on compartments, looking for the missing toad.

The group had tried five different compartments before they received something other than a polite, but negative response, unfortunately though it wasn't because they had found the toad.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," said Hermione to the compartment containing four boys, as she had designated herself spokes person for their search and rescue efforts. As Castiel looked into the compartment, his eyes locked with a moss green pair he hadn't seen in over eleven years, however, before he could even say a word, there was a fist flying toward his face.

Everything went black after that.


	8. I Broke Your Brother, I Should Apologise

_**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise, belongs to someone else.**_

**Chapter 7 I Broke Your Brother, I Should Apologise For That**

Sam couldn't believe it. Cas was here! He was standing with a bushy haired girl and a boy named Neville waiting for Castiel to regain consciousness. Getting a good look at the dark haired boy, Sam could see that he still looked like Jimmy Novak, his old vessel, just that he now looked eleven, and not the thirty something Jimmy had been.

Sam wasn't really surprised that Dean had recognised his one time friend the moment the two had locked eyes, they always did spend an inordinate amount of time staring at each other. He also wasn't surprised that Dean had hit him, it may have been over a decade since they had seen the former angel, but Sam was fairly certain the moment Dean had spotted Cas, all of the old hurts had come rushing back to the surface.

Dean, thankfully, had come up with the excuse that Cas had looked like a particularly bad bully they had met as children to explain away his violent reaction, and had also apologised profusely to Cas's friends.

Sam could only sigh at Dean's antics, but he also knew that the angel had hurt his brother far more deeply than he would ever admit.

So here Sam was, waiting for their former comrade to regain consciousness so that he could do what he did best and try to smooth things over. It didn't take long, two minutes later there was a series of twitches and a groan that signalled the young boy was returning to awareness.

"arr, what happened?" Sam noted that Cas didn't have that deep gravel tone that led one to believe that he started his day by gargling rocks, but it was still unusually deep for a child his age.

"Some imbecile mistook you for one of his childhood bullies, he'll probably be a Gryffindor" said the wild haired girl with a smirk.

Taking a deep breath, Sam addressed his former friend for the first time in years.

"Hey man, are you ok? Dean got you pretty good there" Cas looked at him then turned away, unable to hold eye contact.

"I will be fine. So he thought that I was someone else?"

"Yeah, this guy Eric Peterson, from when we were kids, he was pretty nasty, Dean thought that you were him and just reacted, we are sorry about the mix up." Sam lied through his teeth, and was pretty sure Cas knew it, but he seemed to be going along with it, which led Sam to believe that like him and Dean, no one knew what he had been.

"It's fine, so um..?"

"Sam"

"Sam, is it ok if I talk to you outside, alone." And with that last word he shot a look at the bushy haired girl.  
>" Um, sure, I guess"<p>

With that Cas pulled himself up and the two left the compartment and walked a little ways down the train. When Cas felt they had gone an acceptable distance stopped and without looking up from his shiny black shoes, he started to speak.

"I know that it is grossly inadequate, but for what it is worth, I am Sorry Sam. I just became so focused on finding purgatory and stopping Raphael that I ended up losing sight of the reason I was fighting in the first place. You and your brother should never have had to pay the price for my arrogance."

Sam paused for a moment, taking in what Cas said before he replied.

"I know Cas, I get it. Hell I've been there. When I was with Ruby and drinking the demon blood, I was so sure that I was doing the right thing, that I would be saving the world, it never even entered my mind that I could be wrong. Cas man, look at me, you are never going to forgive yourself for this, and I don't think you should, I mean you betrayed Dean, and you were the only real friend he ever had and you let the leviathans out. But in spite of that you can make it right. It's not going to be easy, you hurt Dean more deeply than you realise, but he needs you, he needs his friend back."

"I know Sam, I just don't know how to do that."

"You'll work it out, I know you'll do the right thing."

With that Sam gave Cas a small smile and left. Maybe, Sam thought to himself as he made his way back to his brother, there was hope that Dean and Cas could work this out.

* * *

><p>"Is the kid ok?" was the first thing out of Dean's mouth when Sam re-entered the compartment.<p>

"He's fine, he's going to have a nice shiner by the time we get to school, but he was pretty cool about the whole thing, I explained about Eric Peterson, he understood" Sam replied with a shrug, but the look he gave Dean said that the two of them would be talking about this at the next available opportunity.

"He really did look like Eric, didn't he. I really would have loved to be able to hex that boy." Ron said with a scowl

"You and me both, well at least the kid is ok." Said Dean.

Just then a voice echoed throughout the train "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

With that the four boys hurried to change into their school robes, finishing just as the train stopped. Once it had done so, the mass of students made their way onto the platform for the start of another school year.

* * *

><p>Authors Notes: YukiAme noted that in the books Ron was given Charlies old wand due to the Weasley finical situation and was wondering how Arthur and Molly could afford to raise two extra boys. I'm working with the idea that like Harry, Sam and Dean would have had a trust fund to help cover their costs over the years, and as to Ron getting a new wand, I don't believe the Molly would get Sam and Dean both a new one and not Ron.<p> 


	9. It Sings, What The Hell?

_**Disclaimer: Rinse, Repeat, not mine, etc...**_

**Chapter 8 It Sings, What The Hell?**

Illyria was nervous. She was staring her first year at Hogwarts and could not help but wonder how thing's would be different now that she was a student and not just the potion professor's daughter. However it was not the coming change in her status among the students and staff that was causing her nervous feeling, no that was coming from the sense of foreboding she had felt the moment she had stepped foot on platform nine and three quarters that morning. The feeling was somewhat elusive, but she had been left with the impression that everything was about to change.

In the end though, feeling or no feeling, at this point it time there was very little she could so about it. So with that last thought, she held her head high and followed her cousin Draco onto the Hogsmeade platform

* * *

><p>"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" came the booming voice of Hagrid.<p>

"Come on Draco, this way" stated Illyria as she grabbed her cousins hand. The two following Hagrid down the dark and narrow path that lead to the Black Lake.

"Where are we going?" Draco whispered.

"To the Lake" Came Illyria's reply

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid suddenly called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

As promised, The Castle came into view and Illyria heard the awed gasps of Draco and his two trained apes, also known as Crabbe and Goyle.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Came Hagrid's voice again and Illyria could see him pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Illyria, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle shared one of the waiting boats.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself.

"Right then — FORWARD!" with that the mass of small boats set out across the Lake

* * *

><p>The first years were met at the entrance by professor McGonagall who lead them to a small chamber just off the Great hall.<p>

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room. Mr Novak, what happened to your face?"

Illyria looked over at the dark haired boy who was apparently Mr Novak, and saw that he had a rather impressive bruise around his left eye.

"It was an accident, I am fine."

"Are you sure?"

Elbowing the bushy haired girl next to him, who looked like she was about to speak, he continued

"Yes professor, it's nothing to worry about."

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips at the boy before continuing with her speech.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you." And with that she turned and left.

"It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Said Draco, looking at a boy with messy hair and glasses on his nose.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle, my cousin Illyria Black and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

With that Illyria bust into giggles.

"What? I didn't say anything funny." Said Draco in a demanding tone.

"No, but you do sound like uncle Lucius when he's meeting a new business partner." Came Illyria's reply.

"So? My father is a great and powerful wizard, I'm proud to be like him."

"I'm sure you are cousin."

With that Professor McGonagall returned.

"The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." She said "Now, form a line and follow me."

With that the students were lead to the front of the hall, and Illyria smiled as Professor McGonagall brought out a small stool and placed the Sorting Hat on top of it. There was silence for a few moments, and then the Hat began its song.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid __!_

_And don't get in a flap__!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap__!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall Then stepped forward, a long roll of parchment in her hand.

"When I call your name, you will come forward, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses. Abbott, Hannah."

"HUFFFLEPUFF" shouted the hat, and the Hufflepuff cheered as Hannah went to join her new house.

"Black, Illyria"

Taking a deep breath Illyria went and sat on the stool. Suddenly, there was a voice in her head.

"So young Leviathan, the time has come for you join Hogwarts, hum. Before I sort you I there is someone who would like to speak with you." And with that, Illyria was suddenly standing in a white room with God, who was once again wearing Chuck.

"Illyria, Hi"

"El Shaddai, it is good to see you again." Illyria replied with a small smile.

"Looks like the soul has done you good, it's nice to see you smile."

"Yes, I guess. Why am I here?"

"Straight to the point as always I see. I sent you to this world for a reason, and that was to help guide the others."

"Others? How? Why me?"

"Why you? Because you didn't hold a grudge against humanity, and would therefore adjust to the soul more easily. As to the others, they would be Sam and Dean Winchester, and the angel Castiel. And how will you guide them? Well that one's easy, when I gave you a soul I made you a prophet, a mouth piece for my word, and a seer. That is why you have had that 'feeling' all day, because these abilities are starting to wake up. You will need to train them of course, but if you're lucky you may be able to change the course of fate."

"How do I do-"

"Slytherin" Shouted the Sorting Hat as Illyria suddenly found herself back in the great hall. Realising that she had been sorted, Illyria got up and made her way over to the cheering table were her new house mates were sitting. She watched the rest of the sorting while she mused on the conversation with her meddlesome creator, and thought on wither she should seek the others out, or let nature take its course. She did know one thing however, her 'feeling' had been right, everything was about to change.

* * *

><p>Dean couldn't believe it. It was a hat. The hat was singing. It was singing in rhyme. Dean had seen a lot of things in his life, both as a hunter and as a wizard, but watching the battered old hat recite its little song, he was pretty sure his brain was leaking out his ears.<p>

Once the hat finished its little ditty the professor started calling names for people to be sorted. "Abbott, Hannah" went to Hufflepuff, "Black, Illyria" to Slytherin, "Bones, Susan" also to Hufflepuff, and "Boot, Terry" became a Ravenclaw, Dean stopped paying attention after that and occupied himself by looking around the Great Hall and even Dean could admit, the ceiling was awe inspiring. As Dean was admiring the grand room his ears suddenly perked up when he heard Professor McGonagall call for "Novak, Castiel." As the angel sat on the stool, Dean took the opportunity to have a really good look at him. Sam had been right of course, and the bruise where he had hit the boy earlier had blossomed beautifully. After spending the thirty seconds that it took that hat to call out "Hufflepuff" Dean had come to the conclusion that Cas looked the same, just in miniature, minus the stubble and the trench coat.

Dean wasn't sure what to think about the sudden reappearance of Castiel. On the one hand he wanted to hug his friend and tell him that he would kick his celestial ass to kingdom come if he ever died on him again. And then on the other hand there was the part of him that had to watch Sam slowly go insane because of what the angel had done to his brother. This part wanted to take all the skills he had learned from Alistair and kill the boy as slowly and painfully as possible.

Dean was roused from his internal musings by the call of "Potter, Harry". Dean couldn't help but smile as his new friend became a Gryffindor, he could hear his twin cousins, Fred and George amongst the cheering yelling "WE GOT POTTER!" When the commotion died down Professor McGonagall continued with "Prewett, Dean." And Dean had no choice but to go and try on the hat.

"Well well well, if it isn't my third reality hopper, only one left after you. So where to put you?"

The hat was talking, inside his head, and in that moment Dean was ready to salt and burn the thing.

"No need to do anything so rash Mr Winchester, or should I say Prewett. Well I think there really is only one place to put you, Gryffindor" said the hat, yelling the last part out loud. Dean quickly yanked the hat off his head and made his way over to his cheering cousins to watch his brother get sorted.

While he wasn't surprised, Dean could honestly say he was a little disappointed when the hat yelled out Ravenclaw for Sam. Logically Dean knew that he would still see his brother all the time, but it was definitely going to be weird. He and Sam had been living in each other's back pockets for so long, that Dean wasn't sure how he was going to cope with the sudden space.


	10. Of Old Hurts And Old Wounds

**Chapter 9 Of Old Hurts And Old Wounds **

As Castiel lay in his new bed in the Hufflepuff dormitory that night, he couldn't help but think about his past that had finally caught up with him. First there was Dean and Sam on the train, and then Illyria while waiting outside the Great Hall.

In regard to Illyria, if Castiel was honest with himself, he had been expecting the ancient monstrous entity that he had absorbed when he swallowed purgatory, so it came as something of a shock to see this normal girl who could have been anyone.

Then there was Dean. Seeing him again had been a bittersweet moment. There had been the initial joy at seeing his friend for the first time in over a decade, which was swiftly followed by the bitter disappointment when he realised that Dean was not so happy to see him.

Then of course there was Sam. Sam who had believed in him, even while he was under the influence of the souls of purgatory and the leviathans. So while he did not necessarily forgive him for what he had done, he did understand. And in true Winchester fashion, he seemed to be willing to put all of Castiel's transgressions aside for the sake of his brother.

Cas knew after his conversation with Sam on the train that afternoon that he had to make things right with Dean. He just wasn't sure how, but he was almost certain that he would end up enduring more bodily harm in the process.

However, there really noting he could do about it tonight, so instead Castiel laid down and tried to sleep.

* * *

><p>Sam was at breakfast by 7:30 the next morning. As he sat at the Ravenclaw table he told himself he couldn't sleep because he was in a new and strange place. It wasn't because he was missing Dean already. At all. So when Dean walked into the Great Hall ten minutes later and sat down with his brother, there really was only one thing Sam could say to him.<p>

"Jerk"

"Bitch"

The two brothers sat in silence for a few minutes before Sam looked around, and seeing that the hall was still relatively empty, decided now was the best time to talk to his brother.

"So Cas is here."

"Sam I don't want to talk about this."

"So what? You're just going to ignore him for the next seven years?"

"If I have to."

"Dean..."

"No Sam. He lied, he went behind my back and worked with Crowley, and the worst of all he broke your dam wall."

"I'm fine Dean, I'm right here and I'm fine."

"You didn't have to watch it. You... No, no Cas can keep his distance or my fist is going to meet his face again." Dean said shaking his head.

Sam took a deep breath. "Dean, you carried that coat around till the very end, I know that despite everything that happened, you still care about the guy, and I'm ok with that. And at the very worst, he might be able to shed some light on the leviathan that's supposed to be around here somewhere."

"Fine! But only because I don't want to get caught with my pants down when some Dick Roman crony shows up."

"That's all I'm asking."

By this time a few more students had entered the Great Hall and so the brother's conversation moved on to something else.

* * *

><p>It was the third day of the new term when Illyria decided to try and speak with Castiel. If nothing else she hoped to clear the air between the two of them after the incident with purgatory. So when classes had finished for the day she went and tracked the wayward angel down, and ended up finding him sitting by himself under a tree scribbling in a sketch book.<p>

"Hi, do you mind if I join you?" she asked.

Castiel seemed to study her a moment before nodding his consent. The two sat side by side in silence for about half an hour, Castiel drawing the landscape of the Black Lake while Illyria watched the giant squid play in the afternoon sun. Eventually it was Castiel who broke the silence.

"When father told me you would be here, he said you would be different, would you mind telling me how?"

Illyria took a moment before she answered, without looking away from the lake she answered him.

"He gave me a human soul"

"I see"

Sitting there in silence watching the lake, Illyria could not help but feel that the boy she was sitting next to seemed nothing like the arrogant angel that had consumed millions of soul just over a decade ago.

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Open purgatory, you must have had a reason."

"We had just stopped the apocalypse, myself and three hunters, Dean and Sam Winchester and Bobby Singer. I had hoped the when I returned to heaven that my brothers would realise that Michael and Lucifer fighting was not the answer, I was wrong. Raphael wanted to open the cage and release our brothers so that they could fight, I attempted to stand against him. It, did not go well. So I went to the only place I knew for help, I went to Dean, but, I couldn't ask him, he had carried the burden of the world his whole life, and he was finally free, I could not find it in myself to ask more of him.

Crowley took advantage of my weakness and like a fool I let him, he gave me the power I needed to mount an offensive against Raphael, and in exchange I would help him find purgatory, and we would split the contents.

In the end though I think, I didn't even know what I was fighting for, I had been fighting for so long, and then with the power of the souls, I felt like I was, more, I guess. I named myself a God and in my insanity I believed it."

"And when you put the souls back, my brethren held on."

"You where not there?"said Castiel sounding surprised at this.

"No I went back. With the all mother dead and the others more interested in devouring the earth once again the way had been cleared and I would have been able to assume the rule of purgatory."

"I see"

Castiel just looked at his hands and Illyria had the feeling he had never told anyone about what had happened, shame and grief in every line of his posture and the black haired girl did the only thing she could think of and pulled the angel into a maternal embrace. Castiel overcome by everything that had happened in the last few days just clung to the girl and cried.

Over the sound of his tears, Castiel heard the ancient being whisper "I forgive you bright one."

* * *

><p>Authors Note: This is my first ever attempt at writing and this chapter was a bitch that didnt want to co-operate, so any constructive criticism you guys could give would be appreciated.<p> 


	11. Settling In

**Chapter 10 Settling In**

The first week of School seemed to set the pace for Sam and Dean's life at Hogwarts. They would both get up early and have breakfast together at the Ravenclaw table, after which Dean would go and track down Harry and Ron for classes. At lunch Sam would join his cohorts at the Gryffindor table. Once lessons had finished for the day the four boys would spend the afternoon together, with Ron, Dean and Sam taking it upon themselves to teach Harry about the important things in life, like quidditch, gobstones and exploding snap.

Come dinner time the group would split up, with Sam joining his housemates for dinner and then returning to Ravenclaw Tower, while Dean, Harry and Ron would head back to the Gryffindor common room.

At first both Sam and Dean had been resistant to the change in their interaction that being in school had brought about, as they were both unused to spending so much time apart. Dean had felt as if his brother was abandoning him again, while Sam had thought that Dean had finally decided that he was a freak and wasn't worth the effort now that he had new friends.

However, having had the chance for a normal childhood in this realty, both brothers were a little more emotionally balanced, and it only took four them four days, one twenty minute argument and a few punches to work out their differences. Sam assured Dean, that no, this wasn't like Stanford, and that he had no intention of going anywhere without his brother. And Dean assured Sam that he wasn't a freak, and that he and he wasn't abandoning him for shiny new friends, just that the nerd was living on the other side of the freaking castle with all the other nerds.

After that Sam and Dean settled into the new routine with ease.

* * *

><p>Dean was silently fuming by the time he got to lunch. It was Friday and the first year Gryffindors had just finished their first potion lesson. When Sam joined the three a few minutes later, it was to find Dean taking out his bad mood on an innocent piece of steak.<p>

"So, how was your morning?" Sam asked as he warily watched Dean viciously stab at his meat.

"oh I don't know Sammy, what do you think Ron, how was our morning?" came Dean's reply, his voice thick with sarcasm.

"I think that Snape is a right foul git." Was Ron's snarky reply.

"It can't have been that bad, I mean yes he is pretty nasty, but he is fairly indiscriminate about it." Sam said, trying to make them feel better, the three Gryffindors just gave him the hairy eyeball

"We have potions with the Slytherin's, he actually seems to like them." Said Harry.

"That, and he seems to have made it his personal mission to make Harry's life hell." Dean seethed. And with that Sam let the subject drop.

"Hey Harry," Ron asked, "Do you mind if I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

"You're going to see Hagrid?" Sam asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yeah, he sent me a note this morning, inviting me for afternoon tea. I don't think he would mind if I brought you three with me." Replied Harry.

So at five to three that afternoon, the group left the castle and made their way down to Hagrid's hut.

* * *

><p>When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Dean momentarily froze. When Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "<em>Back<em>, Fang, _back._" Dean came back to himself. Ever since Lilith had sicked her hellhounds on him, Dean would have an initial moment of panic whenever he was faced with a big dog.

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open. "Hang on," he said. "_Back, _Fang." He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. There was only one room inside. "Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Sam laughed at the dogs antics, like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked. "This is Ron, Sam and Dean" Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate. "Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them, while Sam and Dean left theirs on the plate as the four boys told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes. The boys were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git'' "An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson.

"Don't you go worryin about that now Harry, Professor Snape don't really like any of the students, well 'cept his daughter o'course" Hagrid told Harry.

Dean rolled his eyes at this, he'd heard the rumours of course, but aside from Draco Malfoy's introduction of the girl, he didn't really know anything about Illyria besides the fact she was in Slytherin.

"But he seemed to really _hate _me." whined Harry

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?" Dean saw the Hagrid didn't quite meet Harry's eyes as he said this.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals." Dean could tell that Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. Dean took the time to look around the small hut while Ron with the help of Sam told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons and Harry was perused the Daily Prophet.

"Hagrid!" Harry said suddenly, "that Gringotts break, in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered the boys another rock cake while Harry went back to the news paper.

When the boys eventually walked back to the castle for dinner, Dean couldn't help but think to himself that Harry, like Sam, was a magnet for trouble, and that whatever was going on with the recent Gringotts break in, he was eventually going to stick his bespectacled nose into it. Dean just hoped he would be there when the kid would inevitably find himself in real trouble.

* * *

><p>Authors Note: There is now artwork accompanying this story, check my profile for the web address<p> 


	12. The Art Of Evasion

**Chapter 11 The Art Of Evasion **

It was Sunday afternoon and Illyria was studying in the library with Castiel and Hermione, unaware of the students around them were waiting for the world to implode or for the trio to start planning world domination. A Hufflepuff, a Gryffindor and a Slytherin were not suppose to be friends, surely the three of them realised that they were breaking some universal law.

The truth of the matter was that Illyria didn't care about house affiliations, having grown up in the castle had taught her that people were people, no matter what house they were in. As for Hermione and Castiel, they had grown up in the muggle world and didn't have the same preconceived notions that wizarding children did. The fact that Illyria was also trying to avoid Draco may have helped along her desire to make friends with the two seemingly social outcasts, she was still a Slytherin after all.

Illyria had always known that her cousin was somewhat prejudice, the Malfoy family is what you would call 'Pureblood Supremacists', but the level of bulling and cruelty that Draco had managed to achieve in the two weeks since school had started surprised her.

So there the three sat in the library, Castiel, who was fast gaining a reputation for being socially inept, Hermione, the Gryffindor know-it-all, and Illyria, the feared dungeon bat's daughter.

Looking up from her charms essay, Illyria noticed that the book Hermione was reading had nothing to do with any of their classes.

"What are you reading?" She asked.

"Magical creatures of Ancient Greece, I was curious about the three headed dog." Replied Hermione.

Hermione had of course, informed them of the new level of idiocy that the Gryffindor boy's had managed to achieve that week, starting with Dean Prewett, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter sneaking out of the common room for a midnight duel, and ending with the three boys plus Hermione and Neville hiding from Filch in the third floor corridor, where the group had encountered the rather large three headed dog.

"It's a Cerberus," Hermione continued "also known as hellhounds, the name Cerberus comes from the Greek mythological figure of same name. In Greek mythology Cerberus was the offspring of Echidna and Typhon, and had a brother, Orthrus, who only had two heads, instead of three. Cerberus was..."

"Excuse me," said a voice, cutting off Hermione's detailed explanation.

The three looked up to see Sam Prewett standing there with what looked to be his homework.

"Do you guys mind if I join you? I could use some help."

Illyria looked at Cas, his expression a cross between nervous and hopeful, and while she didn't have the full picture of what had happened between Sam, Dean and Cas, she did know that Cas had hurt the brothers badly and desperately wanted to make amends. Hermione on the other hand didn't know any of this and as far as she was concerned, Sam was just the brother of the boy who hit Cas on the train, and was still wary of him if the stern look on her face was anything to go by.

"Of course Sam, what is it that you need help with?" Cas said with the barest hint of a smile.

Sam gave Cas a small grin as he replied, "Actually I was after some help with potions and seeing as Illyria is professor Snape's daughter, I thought she might be able to help"

"Sure" was Illyria's reply.

After 10 minutes however, Illyria was convinced that Sam joining them had nothing to do with the obviously intelligent boy needing help and was actually Sam's rather Slytherin attempt at extending an olive branch. Illyria, being a Slytherin herself, whole heartedly approved of his methods.

By the time the group left the library that evening and made their way down to dinner, Cas looked like he was well on the way to repairing the fractured friendship between him and Sam, while Sam looked as if he was making fast friends with both Illyria and Hermione, who could come across as overbearingly bossy at times, especially when she was nervous."

With that in mind none of them were surprised when the Sunday afternoon study sessions became a regular thing.

* * *

><p>It had been two months since term had started, and Dean still hadn't said a word to Castiel. This was making his current task of trying to levitate a feather somewhat difficult, as Gryffindor had charms with Hufflepuff and professor Flitwick had made them partners for the exercise.<p>

Dean knew that they would have to hash it out eventually, but he still wasn't sure whether he wanted to fix their broken friendship, or ensure that Cas never spoke to him again. He knew that Sam had been talking to Cas, but he never shared any of the details and the one time Dean had asked, his brother had made it clear that if he wanted to know about how Castiel was, to go and ask himself. And so they sat practicing charms without saying a word.

In the seat next to Dean, Ron was having the opposite problem, his partner was Hermione Granger, and she was more than happy to tell Ron exactly where he was going wrong with his spell.

"You're saying it wrong," Dean heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o_-sa, not Levi-o-sar."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

By the time the Class ended, Dean was more than ready to get out of there, partly because he really didn't know what to do in regards to Cas, and partly because Sam had been right, he couldn't just ignore the ex-angel for the next seven years.

As the group stepped out into the corridor, it quickly became apparent that Dean wasn't the only one in a foul mood.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said as they moved away from the classroom, "she's a nightmare, honestly." Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Dean caught a glimpse of the girls face and could see that she was crying.

"I think she heard you." Harry told Ron

"So?" was Ron's reply, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Suddenly Dean was being shoved out of the way, he turned to see who it was, only to spot Castiel throwing a dirty look in their direction as he took off after Hermione.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. The three boys were enjoying the Halloween feast and it was Harry that noticed that Hermione still hadn't turned up.

"Where's Hermione?" He asked

It was Neville who replied "Parvati Patil said she's wouldn't come out of the girl's bathroom. She said she's been there all afternoon, crying."

The three boys only had time to share a look before Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face as he started yelling "Troll in the dungeon, troll in the dungeon. Thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was a moment of uproar before Professor Dumbledore brought the Great Hall to order.

"SILENCE! Everyone will please not panic! Now prefects please escort your house to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

With this Dean looked around, spotting Sam coming over, he let out a sigh of relief knowing that his brother was safe. Then he found himself looking for Castiel, and when he didn't spot him, Dean realised with a sinking feeling that he would be with Hermione, and that the two of them wouldn't know about the troll. In that moment Dean knew, no matter how angry he still was with Cas, the guy was his friend, his brother, and he couldn't lose him again. Grabbing Sam's arm Dean addressed him, Ron and Harry.

"Hermione's in the girl's bathroom and doesn't know about the troll and I think Cas is with her."

Sam's eyes went wide but he squared his shoulders and said "ok let's go then"

And with that the four boys slipped away from Percy and made their way to the girl's bathroom.

* * *

><p>Authors Note: Just wanted to thank you all for reading, as this story has just passed 10,000 hits. So thanks guys.<p> 


	13. The Best Friends Are Made In Bathrooms

**Chapter 12 The Best Friends Are Made In Bathrooms **

Sam, Dean, Harry and Ron made it to the girls bathroom just in time to watch the troll walk in.

"Dammit, Sammy you got a knife?" Dean asked.

"Dude, rule 9*" Came Sam's reply, with bitch face No. 15 attached (Seriously dude, I'm not an idiot.)

"Good, ok here's the plan, Sam, you and I are going to distract the troll, Harry, Ron, I need the two of you to go in there, grab Cas and Hermione, and get out. No hanging around got it." Dean said in an authoritative voice.

"But we can help!" came Harry's indignant reply.

There suddenly came the sound of splintering wood from the bathroom.

"We don't have time to argue, just do what I say. Ok Sam, let's go."

And with that Sam and Dean quickly made their way towards the sound of destruction, every bit the highly trained hunters they had been.

* * *

><p>It had been a long day. Castiel had been sitting outside the girl's bathroom since charms, with only a break to retrieve Illyria once classes had finished, in the hopes that she would be able to get Hermione to calm down, or at the very least, come out of the bathroom so he could talk to her.<p>

Castiel, who despite his deep longing to reunite with Dean, was content with having just Hermione for a friend in primary school, along with the addition of Illyria since coming to Hogwarts. However, Hermione he knew, was different. She had a yearning to be accepted by her peers, one Cas had gotten over a long time ago. In coming to Hogwarts, Cas knew that Hermione was looking for a place where she felt she truly belonged, but instead she had gotten more of the same, and it had left his friend devastated.

Sighing to himself, Cas couldn't help but feel useless, not being able to do anything but sit in the corridor and wait. That was when he heard it, a heavy thumping sound, kind of like a drum beat. Looking down the corridor, Cas spotted were the sound was coming from.

It was a troll, and it was heading his way.

* * *

><p>Illyria had just finished her last class of the day when Castiel had come to retrieve her, explaining the incident in charms class as he lead her towards the girls bathroom. After that it had taken Illyria an hour just to get Hermione to come out of the stall. However once she did come out, it was as of the flood gates had opened, and the two girl's ended up sitting against the wall as Hermione spent the better part of the afternoon alternating between crying and getting everything that she had been bottling up for the last two months off her chest.<p>

When Hermione had finally calmed down, the two girls got up and were going to see if they could catch the tail end of dinner when Castiel came running into the bathroom as if the devil himself was right behind him. Looking at the two girls with bright blue eyes that held a hint of fear he said "There's a Troll coming, we need to hide."

With that the trio retreated to the last stall and locked the door, just as they heard the troll enter the bathroom. They could hear it moving, and then suddenly there was the sound of wood splintering and Hermione screamed. Quickly putting her hand over the girl's mouth, Illyria furiously hissed into Hermione's ear "Be quiet and get down."

It was a good thing they did, because just as they were crouching down, a large club smashed through where their heads had just been.

* * *

><p>When Sam and Dean entered the bathroom it was to see that the stalls had been levelled and three black robed students scurrying towards the sinks trying to avoid the trolls club. Without a moment's pause, Sam and Dean ran towards the troll, both boys letting out a war cry to try and distract it from its current targets.<p>

Dean climbed up the club and the trolls arm to stab it in the neck, while Sam was dodging around flailing limbs and slashing at its stomach and legs, not that their knives did much, the thing had skin tougher than old boot leather. The troll, unable to get Sam, grabbed Dean off its neck and flung him at the wall, smashing several mirrors in the process.

Harry and Ron had come in behind the brothers and were throwing rocks at the troll trying to distract it while Castiel made sure Dean was ok and Illyria used her body to hide Hermione under a sink.

The troll managed to get a lucky hit on Sam, and he went tumbling into the broken stalls, before moving on to its new targets, a debris trowing Harry and Ron. Illyria, grabbing a broken plank of wood, started hitting the back of the troll as Harry continued to throw fallen stone work and broken bits of sink.

Somehow, in the midst of all the chaos, Ron had managed to remember that he was a wizard, and pulled out his wand. Hermione was heard saying "Swish and Flick" just before Ron shouted "Wingardium Leviosa!" The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high up into the air, turned slowly over and then suddenly dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry went over to make sure Hermione was alright while Ron was helping Castiel with an unconscious Dean and Illyria was helping a groaning Sam out of the rubble that had previously been toilet stalls. Hermione, now that the danger had passed, took stock of the group. "We need to get Dean, and possibly Sam to Madam Pomfrey."

"Yeah, your right." Was Illyria's response, "We should also get a Professor here too, before the troll wakes up"

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the group look up. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper.

Professor McGonagall was looking at the group, suddenly noticing Deans state she made her way over to him. The students, even Illyria, who had known the transfiguration teacher for as long as she could remember, had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white as she made a few intricate moves with her wand over Dean. "What on earth were you thinking of?" she said as she worked, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitories?"

The students looked at each other, but remained silent. It was then that Professor Snape decided to speak for the first time. "Illyria?" it was said in a tone that made it sound like both a question and a warning.

Looking her father straight in the eye, the girl replied. "Hermione was upset, I've been here most of the afternoon trying to make her feel better, and Castiel has been waiting in the corridor for us to come out. We didn't know about the troll, if Harry, Ron, Sam and Dean hadn't come when they did, I don't know what would have happened."

Severus nodded, knowing that she was telling the truth. Suddenly there was a groan.

"Son of a bitch" Dean slurred as he returned to consciousness.

"Dean?"

"Sammy?"

"You ok?"

"Fine you?"

"I'm fine"

"Good"

"Minerva, I think we should get both Mr Prewett's to the hospital wing, and given the circumstances, let the rest off with a warning?" Severus Suggested.

"Yes I think that would be for the best, the rest of you off to your dormitories, and understand, if _anything_ like this happens again, there will be consequences." Stated Professor McGonagall. Satisfied with the nods she received, said "Alright then, off you go."

With that Harry, Ron, Illyria, Castiel and Hermione scurried off to their dormitories. And if the next day, the five of them plus Sam and Dean, who had been released from the hospital wing that morning, found themselves sitting at the Hufflepuff table together for lunch, none of them commented on it. Because really there are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

* * *

><p>*Ninja'd from NCIS, and is one of the "Gibbs Rules" being Rule 9: Never go anywhere without a knife.<p> 


	14. Lions and Snakes

_Conversation in italics is in parseltongue_

**Chapter 13 Lions and Snakes**

It took three days after the troll incident (which had been playfully dubbed _The Battle of The Bathroom_) for Dean to finally talk to Castiel. Considering that there were now seven of them all hanging around together now, it was easy enough for Dean to avoid Cas for the moment, but that wasn't going to last forever. So after three days of nervous eye contact, twitching movements and stilted conversation, Dean finally cracked and dragged Cas off so they could face the massive elephant that had been hanging around in a pink tutu singing Ave Maria.

As the weather turned cold with the approaching winter, students were starting to prefer to stay indoors, so finding a secluded spot on the grounds where they wouldn't be interrupted was easy enough.

"Why should I forgive you, huh?" Dean demanded.

Cas heaved a sigh as he sat on the ground and hugged his knees, without looking up at Dean he replied "I don't think you should, after what I did to you, to Sam, my brothers, I don't deserve forgiveness let alone any kind of redemption."

Dean could only stare at Castiel as the boy continued to hug his knees. Dean couldn't believe it, in the time between Cas being killed by the leviathans and them reuniting at Hogwarts two months ago, he had gone from being prepared to do anything to redeem himself to Dean, to just accepting his fate.

And with that Dean finally understood what his two months of surreptitious Cas watching had been trying to tell him, that his friend had changed. Cas was a person, he had thoughts and feelings, he was an individual, not just another _Angel of the Lord _or a weapon, and Dean had to start treating him accordingly. God now he felt like such a lousy friend.

Huffing to himself, Dean sat down on the grass next to Cas.

"I'm sorry," he spoke quietly "I should have been there for you, and I wasn't. I mean come on, after the whole Ruby debacle with Sam I should have been able to spot the signs, I just got so wrapped up in my own crap, so, yeah, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when I should have been."

"Dean none of what happened was your fault, I knew that working with Crowley was a bad idea, but I did it anyway, I was an _Angel of The Lord_ I was stronger and smarter than him, in the end though, I was just another fool. I am truly sorry about what I did to you, and to Sam, if I had known then what I knew now, I would not have done what I did, but like dad says, 'hindsight is twenty twenty'."

"Look, you made a mistake, you're sorry, I'm sorry, it's – wait, since when do you understand human idioms?" Dean asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Cas, rolled his eyes and gave a small chuckle, Dean was just about ready to break out the salt and silver to make sure this was actually Cas and not some extra from the twilight zone.

"I did grow up as a human Dean, with human parents, doing 'normal' things like going to church and having barbeques."

"oh, right, of course" Dean said sounding like an idiot. "Anyway, back to what I was saying it's over and done with, so why don't we just forget the whole thing and move on, yeah?"

"I would like that very much" Castile answered with a smile.

"ok good, so lunch?" Dean asked and he got up off the ground.

A small smirk made its way onto Castiel's face "I take it the _Chick Flick_ _moment_ is over, will this be one of those things we are not supposed to talk about?"

Dean's jaw dropped, the little bastard was _actually_ messing with him.

* * *

><p>Saturday dawn bright but cold for first quidditch match of the season, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. Students from both houses were showing support for their respective teams by decking themselves out in house colours, and Dean Tomas could be seen painting Seamus Finnegan's face with red and gold.<p>

Illyria, having grown up at Hogwarts, was well known for doing as she pleased in regards to house affiliations, so there never was much of a fuss made when she joined her friends at the Gryffindor table. Today however, she was treated with outright suspicion, which she promptly ignored as she sat down next to Sam.

She was dressed in a black robe with green shirt, had green and silver ribbons braided into her hair, and a two and a half foot long blue/black snake in her hands.

"Please tell me that's not real" said Dean eyeing the snake warily.

"This is Cetus, and of course he's real" came Illyria's reply

"Of course it is" Dean muttered, watching as the girl draped the snake over her shoulders and started on her breakfast.

"So, judging by how you're dressed, you're going to be supporting Slytherin today?" Ron asked around a mouthful of toast.

"Of course, I cannot, in good conscience do otherwise, I may flout house loyalties in a general sense, but what it comes to quidditch, all bets are off." Illyria said with a grin.

"Well in that case, your team is going to lose" Ron said with a smirk

Raising and eyebrow Illyria stared directly at Ron "Bring it"

Once this important fact had been established, the group as whole turned their attention to a nervous looking Harry, who was noticeably worried about his first quidditch game.

The group effort of trying to motherbear the messy haired boy into eating was brought to a halt by Dean's indignant "HAY" as Cetus had left his perch and had been attempting to steal one of his sausages.

Before Illyria could retrieve her wayward pet, Harry grabbed a sausage off his own plate and offering it to the snake said _"Here, Have one of mine"_

There were a few clatters of dropped cutlery as silence fell on the Gryffindor table. Harry, noticing the sudden silence looked up, and seeing the number of stares he was receiving said "What? It's just a sausage."

"Harry" Hermione said tentatively "you're a Parselmouth."

"A what?" said Harry, his confusion obvious.

"She means you can talk to snakes, understand them as well as speak their language" Sam explained.

"Speak their language? But I was just talking normally." Said Harry.

"It may have sounded normal to you, but to us you were just hissing" supplied Dean.

"So I was... speaking another language?" Said Harry sounding unsure.

"yep" Said Dean.

"ok so I can talk to snakes, I don't see what the big deal is though" said Harry.

"It's a rare ability, and because of that a lot of superstition surrounds it. Salazar Slytherin was the first known parselmouth, and known dark wizards Herpo the Foul and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named also have the ability so some consider it a mark of a dark wizard. It should be known however that Paracelsus, a 16th century wizard and a contemporary of Copernicus and Leonardo Da Vinci, who was responsible for several major medical breakthroughs at the time, was also a parselmouth." Illyria supplied.

"oh" was all Harry could say.

"I didn't know any that. Why do you know all that?" asked Ron

"Well for one, I grew up in a school, I was bound to pick up at least one useless fact and two, I researched the subject in case it ever came up." Illyria replied.

"Ever came up? What made you think a conversation on parselmouths would ever come up?" said Ron incredulously.

"_Because Harry's not the only parselmouth"_ and with that Illyria gathered up Cetus, muttered a quick "Good Luck" to Harry, and walked out of the great hall. The last thing she heard as she left was Ron saying "Bloody Hell."


	15. Revelations Come in All Shapes and Sizes

**Chapter 14 Revelations Come in All Shapes and Sizes**

The revelation that Hogwarts was currently host to not one, but two parselmouths was quickly forgotten. There were two reasons for this, the first being the spectacular Gryffindor win, secured by Harry Potter, the youngest seeker in a century, who caught the snitch, with his mouth, while riding a jinxed broom. And if that wasn't attention grabbing enough, the very health Hogwarts rumour mill latest piece of gossip was that a student or three had managed to set fire to professor Snape's robes during the match.

Harry found out about their potion masters brush with fire when he went to find his friends after the match. It was needless to say that he was rather surprised to see a smug looking Sam and Castiel, a defiant Dean, and subdued looking Ron and Hermione as Illyria told them in calm deadly tones that no she didn't care who did it or who's idea it was, that yes her father may be a right mean git, but that didn't mean he would ever harm a student, and if they ever pulled a stunt like that again, no one would ever find their body's.

With that the matter was laid to rest, never to be spoken of again and life in Hogwarts went on.

* * *

><p>It was a week before the Christmas holidays when Illyria found herself standing in the living room of a rather well, rundown house. She knew immediately, in that way you always seem to know, that she was dreaming. There was a table with a computer, surrounded by lose papers and empty whiskey bottles, a thread bare lounge set, and 'Supernatural' posters were hung on the walls. After a few moments Chuck walked in, wearing nothing more than t-shirt, boxers and a dressing gown that had seen better days. As Illyria took in Elohim's appearance she could not help but wonder, was this God working in mysterious ways as the humans said, or if in the countless millennia since the creation of the world Yahweh had finally gone mad.<p>

"Hi Illyria" Chuck said with a happy grin, and she thought that if the creator was trying to keep her off balance, then he was doing a very good job.

"Jehovah, it is, surprising to see you"

"I thought you might need some help, guidance if you will, I mean, I did kinda throw you to the sharks as far as the whole prophet thing goes."

Illyria couldn't help but agree, ever since the ability had 'activated' she had been getting strange feelings and vague notions that could mean anything from a pop quiz to her father getting set on fire (she liked her friends, they were good people, but truly they were idiots sometimes), so any help Elohim was willing to give, she would gladly take.

"That would be appreciated, its, well, all so vague."

Chuck smiled indulgently at her "I have some books for you, a base to start from, the rest you should be able to do on your own, I have faith in you."

"Why me though? Why not Castiel, he's an angel, one of your servants, wouldn't he be better suited to being your messenger?"

"No, you have your job, and Castiel has his, and that is all I am going to say on the matter."

And with that he handed her three books, the first was a bright yellow book with the title _'Precognition For Dummies'_, the second was a dark green hard cover called _'A beginners guide to foresight'_ and the third was what could only be described as a tome, complete with metal clasps, on the first page, written in enochian, was the title, _'Enoch's guide to dealing with Prophecy and walking with God'_, there was also a footnote, _"Whoever you are, best brace yourself you poor sap, it only gets worse from here."_ It wasn't at all reassuring.

"You and Enoch were good friends I take it?" Illyria asked with a raised eyebrow, Chuck just smirked.

"Well I think that's it for now, and because I'm feeling generous, I'll give you a freebee, it's not essential that you all learn this, but it will be helpful considering the path you are all on." And with that Chuck added seven copies of _'The animal within: A beginner's guide to the Animagius transformation'._

"Till next time Illyria" and with that she found herself sitting up in her bed in the Slytherin girls dorm with a pile of books in her lap, cursing her meddlesome creator.

* * *

><p>It was 7:30 on Tuesday morning as Dean entered the great Hall, and Sammy already had his nose in a book, typical. Dean loved his brother, but if he became much more of a nerd he was going to start wearing horn rimmed glassed and playing dungeons and dragons.<p>

"Dude, its 7:30 in the morning, you really shouldn't be picking up a book until at least 9 o'clock." Dean said with a sigh.

"Well not that you seem to care too much about it, I'm researching our possible leviathan problem, unless of you want me to forget about it until the thing tries to eat you?" came Sam's reply, oozing sarcasm.

"Oh leviathans, what did you find out?"

"No, you didn't want to know, if you're curious, read the book yourself"

"Come on Sam just tell me"

"Jerk"

"Bitch"

By this point the brother were both smiling at the familiar banter before Sam launched into an overview of what he had learned.

"They seem to be giant sentient sea snakes and sharks for the most part. It looks like what happened to the leviathans that we dealt with happened here as well, basically they didn't play well with others and got locked away for all eternity in '_in __oblitus __ben' _or the forgotten well."

"huh, so a chomper's a chomper no matter where you go."

"Seems like"

"So that book got any names by any chance?"

"um give me a sec, ok here, 'the leviathans were ruled by the great power Hastur and his five monarchs Istasha, Scathach, Zushakon, Arwassa, and... oh god."

Dean watched as his brother suddenly went pale.

"What is it Sam?"

Sam seemed to steel himself as he looked his brother in the eye

"And Illyria..."

* * *

><p>Authors note: the leviathan names are taken from the great old ones of the Cthulhu mythos.<p> 


	16. It Comes And It Goes

**Chapter 15 It Comes And It Goes**

One thing Castiel had found intriguing in his new life, was the human need for sleep. Castiel as an angel had existed for millions of years without ever needing to 'lose consciousness' in order to achieve a form of rest, after living as a human for the last 11 plus years, Castiel understood the need to sleep for 10 hours every night in order to properly function, but to him the practice was still bizarre, and he wasn't a fan of some of the twisted nightmares his unconscious mind had come up with over the years.

All that being said, Castiel was not a morning person, going from the relaxed sleep state to having to get out of bed and do things, especially in winter when it was cold, was a chore that he disliked. So when he stumbled into the great hall at 8:20 that morning, he didn't fully realise that he was being dragged off somewhere by Sam and Dean until they were already out in the corridors. When his brain finally decided to kick in and actually process what was going on they were in an empty class room with Sam locking a door and Dean slamming book down in front of him.

"Did you know?" Dean demanded.

"Know what?" Cas snapped back, it really was far too early to be dealing with a cryptic and irate Dean Winchester.

"About Illyria" he said, holding up the book, "did you know?"

Castiel looked at the book and noticed the title was _'Legends of The Deep'_.

"She is the prophet, sent by my father, I thought you knew that." Was Castiel's reply.

"She's a leviathan!" yelled Dean.

"Wait, what do you mean she's a prophet?" asked Sam in a calmer tone.

"What does it matter, she could be freakin Ghandi for all I care, she's still a leviathan and in case you've forgotten that not only do they like to eat people, they killed Bobby. Just because 'God' says she has a soul, doesn't mean we can trust her." Came Deans agitated reply.

"What do you mean she has a soul, Dean what aren't you telling me?" Sam asked and Castiel could see he was becoming frustrated.

"When I spoke to, 'Chuck', he told me that he would be sending a Leviathan with us, one who 'Had a human soul and would be a prophet' and that we 'Shouldn't be scared of it'..." Said Dean, suddenly looking like the kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"So you mean to tell me, I've been worry about some leviathan coming to take its revenge and eat me in my sleep, when really, she actually here to help because you have 'trust issues' with God?" Sam pinched the bridge of his nose, "only you Dean, only you." Sam could only shake his head.

"If we are finished with this conversation, do you mind if I go back to my breakfast now, in case you have both forgotten, I am human now and would like to eat before class." Said Castiel.

"Sure, sorry Cas, we just though, you know, Illyria was gonna eat us or something." Sam said with a self deprecating smile. Castiel just gave him the 'your being a human idiot' look.

With that Sam walked Cas back to the great hall with Dean trailing behind them, scowling the whole way.

* * *

><p>It was only three days into the Christmas holidays and Dean was already bored. Ever since finding out Illyria was a leviathan he had been avoiding her so she was out, Ron was teaching Harry the finer points of wizards chess, so they were no fun, Sam had buried himself in <em>Lord of the Rings<em> and it would be at least another three days before his younger brother could be persuaded into a prank war, and Cas and Hermione had gone home for the holidays.

Dean was at the point where he was ready to go looking for trouble when Illyria swooped in and told him she had "something you'll like" while wearing a cat who ate the canary grin, it wasn't helping his trust issues as far as the girl went and when he called out to Sam to 'save me' his brother just smirked and said "have fun" before going back to his book the jerk.

Dean knew he couldn't not follow her without raising suspicion, and hoped that the fact they were in a school would protect him from getting eaten. He was however surprised when they stopped in from of a seemingly random section of wall on the seventh floor and Illyria started pacing, then on her third pass, a door appeared, and looking at Dean with a grin she said "come on". When he walked in Dean found a place that reminded him of the Gryffindor common room, just with less red, Illyria simply walked over the one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace and collapsed into it.

"Cool isn't it?" she asked.

"What is this place?" said Dean.

"It's the room of requirement, I found it when I was 8" was the reply

Dean vaguely remembered it from the movie when Ben watched it once and figured it made sense.

Seeing as they were alone, and Dean not being one to beat around the bush, he figured now would be a good time to find out what Illyria was planning.

"So, you're a leviathan then?" he asked, sounding casual.

"That's why you haven't spoken to me for a week? Because you found out I'm a leviathan? Dean, I'm not going to eat you or try and stab you in the back, I'm here because Adonai decided you needed help, that's all. "

"Really? And why should I believe you, huh? You're the monster that would eat the world."

"Yes, I was. Hell the only reason I didn't join my brethren in devouring your world is because I was too busy usurping Hastur's throne while he was off sating his hunger. Given half a chance I would have destroyed you all and laughed while I did so. My kind was imprisoned for a reason, we are monsters, I know that, but I also know that I can never go back to being what I was, the soul I was given is too deeply entwined with what I am. I will never be free of it, and knowing what I do now, I don't wish to be."

"What do you mean? How can having a soul make any difference?"

"The leviathans were the first race, but we were created with a void inside us, which manifested in a hunger that could never be truly sated, I never understood it until it had been filled. Humans are strange, so many of you spend so much time suppressing your emotions, not understanding how truly blessed you are, the ability to feel and feel as keenly as you do, it gives you power that we who thought ourselves your better could never truly understand. We thought emotions your greatest weakness, but Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh gave you strength beyond anything we could imagine."

"I see. Who is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh?"

"I am that I am, it is one of the many names attributed to the being you commonly refer to as 'God'."

"oh"

"Look, I should go, you don't seem all that comfortable with what I am."

As Illyria got up to leave, Dean realised what Sam and Cas had seen in her, what Chuck had been trying to tell him, that she was a friend, and like with Cas, Dean found himself looking past the non-human thing, as just seeing her as who she was, not what she was.

"No wait, you dragged me up here for a reason you could at least let me know what it was before you go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now get on with it."

"Ok" and with that Illyria pulled a book out of the bag she had brought with her.

"I thought that you might like something constructive to do with your Christmas holidays" and with that Illyria handed Dean a copy of _'The animal within: A beginner's guide to the Animagius transformation'._


	17. And So This Is Christmas

**Chapter 16 And So This Is Christmas**

It was Christmas morning and Sam was still in his pyjamas as he made his way down to the great hall. It had been Fred and Gorge's idea, seeing as their cousin was weird and the only family member not in Gryffindor, they would all come down to the great hall together and open presents, and apparently the pyjamas were mandatory.

Sam had just sat down at the Gryffindor table in front of a mountain comprised of brightly wrapped gifts when he heard rest of his family arrive.

"Come on Percy" said Fred,

"Yeah Percy, it's Christmas, relax a little" said Gorge

"It may be Christmas, but I really do think we should have at least gotten dressed before leaving the common room." Replied Percy in a tone that could really only be described as a whine.

"Truly Percy, sometime I wonder how we are even related, don't you wonder Fred?"

"Yes I do Gorge"

"It's Christmas Percy -"

"-With presents and sweets-"

"-surrounded by family-"

"-and the wearing of pyjamas is necessary"

Sam could only laugh at the twins antics as the group sat down and began tearing into presents and he was content to sit and watch his family smile and laugh over various gifts, as well as Harry's surprise that his aunt Molly, at the request of Sam, Dean and Ron, had sent him a gift as well. Then Sam noticed that Dean had found the gift he had gotten him and suddenly became nervous. The gift had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now he wasn't sure whether Dean would appreciate it or not.

* * *

><p>Dean was enjoying his Christmas, before when it was just him, his Dad and Sam, if they even acknowledged the holiday, it would be with an exchanging of gas station gifts hastily wrapped in newspaper, if they were wrapped at all. Now though, it was chaos every year, wrapping paper everywhere, people laughing over gifts and a sea of cousins in Aunt Molly's homemade sweaters and Dean loved every minute of it. Even so, as a tie to who they once were, Sam and Dean would still wrap their gifts to each other in newspaper.<p>

This year's offering from Sam was a small box, hidden under everything else, curios as to what his brother had come up with Dean hastily ripped away the paper and opened the box, at which he promptly froze. Sam must have been watching for his reaction because it was at that point his brother started babbling.

"If you don't like it, it's ok, I just thought, I don't know that maybe you might want it back. If you don't I'm totally fine with it, but yeah, I don't know I just, hoped, you maybe…."

At this point Dean cut off his brothers rambling by enveloping him in a massive hug.

"Thanks Sammy, I love it." And with that Dean pulled the amulet out of the box and put it on. After Sam had gone to hell, Dean had regrated throwing the amulet away, but now, in a different realty, his little brother had tracked it down in the hope that Dean might want the one physical symbol of the bond they shared back.

With that Sam and Dean could only grin at each other. Completely oblivious to the strange looks everyone was giving them

* * *

><p>It was after the Christmas feast that Dean and Illyria decided to let Sam, Harry and Ron in on their current project. It was Dean who summoned the room this time, so it ended up looking like Bobby's lounge room, complete with the haphazardly stacked library and key of Solomon on the ceiling. Sam could be heard taking a sharp breath.<p>

"Um, where are we?" asked Ron.

"This is the room of requirement. It is said that it only appears when a person has real need of it and it is always equipped for the seeker's needs. Although I don't know what this place is." Explained Illyria.

"I asked for someplace comfortable, this is what I got." Dean said with a shrug.

"I take it this is where you two have been hiding out for the last week?" asked Sam.

Illyria and Dean shared a grin "We haven't been hiding Sammy, we've been studying."

"Yeah, and pigs fly." Sam shot back.

"We brought you up here because we thought that you might like to join us" Said Illyria.

"You want us to do homework? On Christmas? Have you gone balmy?" said Ron looking incredulous.

"What! No! Do I look crazy to you? No we've been studying animangi, more importantly, how to become one." Explained Dean.

"You mean like Professor McGonagall, you're learning how to do that?" asked Harry, eyes lighting up with the idea.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not easy, it involves a lot of meditation, and being in tune with your magical core and stuff, but, we think it's worth the effort." Said Dean.

"I want to do it; I think it would be really awesome. Where do we start?" said Harry, Ron nodding along. Sam on the other hand, was making a disapproving face.

Illyria, seeming to understand his concern, just handed Sam a book and looking him in the eyes, said "Trust me, I did my research before starting, this is an older method that went out of fashion about 100 year ago because it didn't allow for any control over what form you would end up with, but it is safe."

This seemed to placate Sam, if the smile trying to fight its way onto his face was anything to go by.

"So how long does it take?" Ron questioned.

"If you follow the practice schedule, it should take somewhere between one and three years to become and animagus, and yes I know that sounds like a long time, but if you were using today's standard method, it would take five years, at minimum." Illyria explained.

"One year, I can live with that" said Ron.

"This Should be fun" Harry said with a grin.


	18. Though I Walk Through The Valley of The

**BE ADVISED: This Chapter Contains Graphic Imagery and Torture! **

**Chapter 17 Though I Walk Through The Valley of The Shadow of Death**

Dean found himself tinkering with the Impala, the sun pleasantly warm in the South Dakota summer, beer in hand. Given the tranquilly of what was obviously a dream, Dean was half expecting Cas to show up and tell him that the world was ending again. In the end however, it wasn't Cas suddenly appearing that brought him back to reality, but Harry.

"Dean, Ron, wake up. You've got to come see this" Harry practically shouted at them.

Dean looked up and saw Harry standing there, it seemed that instead of sleeping, the bespectacled boy had opted to go wandering with the new invisibility cloak he had found on his bed when they had made it back to the Gryffindor common room earlier that evening. Soon however, Dean and Ron found themselves shoved under the cloak and the trio was off. In the end the group found themselves in a classroom that looked like it hadn't been used in years, if the amount of dust on the desks was anything to go by.

The thing that had caught Harry's attention however was the mirror at the front of the room.

"Come on, look" urged Harry.

"I only see us." Was Ron's reply and Dean had to agree, however now that he was closer he noticed the inscription along the top _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. _It wasn't Latin, but with some quick mental rearranging Dean came up with _I show not your face but your heart's desire. _He was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am." Said Harry and Ron moved to take his spot.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?" Asked Harry, sounding excited.

"No I'm alone but I'm different I look older and I'm Head Boy! I am I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to and I'm holding the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup I'm Quidditch captain, too!" Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry. "Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it? All my family are dead" said Harry, sounding dejected

"What about you Dean? What do you see?" Ron asked as he shoved Dean in front of the mirror.

Dean couldn't help but look. When he did he saw himself surrounded by people, there was Sammy, all girly hair and easy grin, Cas with his almost smile and trench coat, Black wings stretching out behind him, his Mum and Dad with their arms around each other, Ellen and Jo, Aunt Molly and Uncle Arthur, Bill Charley Percy Fred Gorge Ron and Ginny, all flaming red hair and big grins, Harry and Hermione, Illyria, black cracks moving along her skin and green snake eyes showing her true nature, but still holding warmth, Bobby in his ever present ball cap, Garth with Mr Fizzles on one hand, Ash with his well kept mullet and homemade computer, Pamela, Jody, Caleb, Pastor Jim, Gabriel, candy bar in hand, six crimson wings simmering gold in the light, Adam, Gwen and Balthazar holding a martini, wings white marked with black, much like Hedwig's.

This was his family, both living and dead. The one Dean had built for himself, and with that Dean understood. This was his heart's desire, to be with his family, for them to be alive and happy.

Dean couldn't look at the mirror anymore, so he turned and fled. The image had opened old wounds, of all the loved ones he couldn't save, that were now forever beyond his reach. He barely made it to a bathroom before emptying the contents of his stomach, and when he made it back to his bed, for the first time in years, Dean dreamt of hell.

* * *

><p>Dean was on the rack, the fires of hell raging all around him. Off to right there was a table that held various knives and other instruments that would be soon used to torture him. It wasn't long before his torturer was standing before him.<p>

He only had the basic semblance of a man. The entity before him had been completely skinned, all of the muscles and in some cases the bones were exposed. One eye had been cut out, leaving only a pussing wound. He had no nose or lips, and when he opened his mouth to speak, his tongue had been cut down the middle and was still oozing blood. His hands were little more than bones, with a few scraps of flesh desperately trying to hang on. And the worst part, in Dean's opinion was his stomach area, which looked as if a wild animal had eaten all of his internal organs, leaving a few ravaged remains. This was Alistair.

"Well Dean, I think we will try something new today, how does that sound hum?"

"Sounds swell" this wasn't good.

"Well you just sit back and relax, it'll make this go, so much smoother, don't you think?"

With that Alistair picked up a surgeons scapple and carved a double ended Y shape into his chest, Dean having already been in hell for years merely grimaced at the pain, he knew the demon was only getting started. Once Alistair was finished with the incision he started pealing the flesh away from his ribs, singing to himself as he worked.

_Imagine me and you, I do  
>I think about you day and night<br>Its only right_

_To think about the girl you love,  
>And hold her tight.<br>So happy together_

By this the entire left side if his rib cage was exposed and Alistair moved to give the right side the same treatment.

_If I should call you up  
>Invest a dime<br>And you say you belong to me  
>And ease my mind<br>Imagine how the world could be  
>So very fine<br>So happy together_

Dean's ribs were now completely exposed as Alistair returned the scalpel to the table and picked up a saw, which he used to cut through his sternum, and Dean couldn't help but let out pained gasps and whimpers as the demon slowly cut through the bone.

_Me and you  
>And you and me<br>No matter how they toss the dice  
>It had to be<br>The only one for me is you  
>And you for me<br>So happy together_

_I can't see me loving nobody but you  
>For all my life<br>When you are with me  
>Baby the skies will be blue<br>For all my life_

Alistair placed the saw back on the table and then turned back to Dean, placing both hands on the cut he had just made in Dean's ribs.

"Now Dean, I need you to brace yourself for a moment, this may hurt a little."

And with that the demon pulled, the bones in his ribs snapping at the sides and a pained scream forced its way out Dean's throat, Alistair just smiled to himself as he put the two pieces that were the front part of his rib cage on the table.

"You have a lovely pair of lungs there Dean, it must be all that healthy living"

"Screw you" Dean gasped out, he was finding it harder to breath now that his lungs had been exposed.

Turning back to the table, Alistair picked up what looked like a kitchen knife.

"Now Dean, this is a Santoku, basically it's an all purpose Japanese kitchen knife, used to slice, dice, cut, chop and carve, let's see how it works shall we?"

With that Alistair moved his lungs to the side so he could see Dean's heart, and then, ever so carefully cut a strip of meat off the still beating organ.

"You know Dean, your heart is the one muscle that never stops moving your whole life, and it just makes the meat of it so... tender."

Then as Dean watched, the demon ate the piece of flesh, savouring it as if it was sweet ambrosia. Then taking the knife he quickly cut another piece.

"Here Dean I'm being rude, let me share."

And with that the demon quickly shoved the new strip of flesh in his mouth, then cutting off Dean's air supply so that he had no choice but to swallow.

_Me and you  
>And you and me<br>No matter how they toss the dice  
>It had to be<br>The only one for me is you  
>And you for me<br>So happy together_

With that Dean woke up, making it to the bathroom before he threw up, sitting down next to the toilet, Dean cried. It had been a week since the nightmares had started, and they were getting worse.


	19. Eyes In The Dark

**Chapter 18 Eyes In The Dark**

Dean was sitting watching the Gryffindor quidditch team. It had been three weeks since his dreams had started, and nothing was helping, not even the fire whisky he had found in the seventh year boys dormitory, and the truth was, Dean was at his whits end. He didn't know what to do, because if Dean was being totally honest with himself, he never dealt truly dealt with what happened in hell in the first place. So here he was 15 years later, and it had come with a vengeance to bite him in the ass.

It was as Dean was contemplating on whether it was worth the possible addiction of dreamless sleep potions just to be free of the nightmares when Illyria came and sat down next to him. All she did was give him a small smile and then proceeded to watch the Gryffindor team practice. With that he was immediately on alert, her behaviour screamed that they were about to have a talk, and that was just something Dean wasn't willing to do at this point. But Dean was a master of deflection, all he had to do was wait for her to start the conversation, and then he could hopefully steer it away from anything he didn't want to talk about.

It was an awesome plan, except for that fact that ten minutes later, he was still waiting. Dean couldn't take it anymore, he cracked.

"Ok let's hear it, what inspiring and girly speech are you going to use to get me to talk about my feelings?"

"None"

"Really?"

"Really, we're all worried about you, but if you don't want to talk then there isn't much I can do."

"Okay, so if you're not here to make me talk, then what are you here for?"

"Well Cas and Sam felt that I survived purgatory for billions of years, I could survive you. They wanted me to get you to talk."

"So you are here to get me to talk."

"No, I said Cas and Sam wanted me to get you to talk."

"If that's the case then why didn't they come themselves huh?"

"Seriously? You've been biting the head of anybody who even sneezed in your vicinity for the last week. You're currently worse than a centaur with a rock in its hoof, and that's saying something."

"Yeah whatever"

With that they went back to silence. Half an hour passed and quidditch practice finished. Without even knowing why Dean started talking.

"I've been having nightmares, I keep dreaming that I'm back in hell."

"So the rumours were true, you spent time in hell."

"There are rumours about me in purgatory?"

"Like any stagnant society, the denizens for purgatory had nothing better to do then either tear each other apart or gossip."

"That makes sense I guess. Yeah I was in hell, it's how I met Cas, he got me out."

"_And his life will be shaped by hardship, and yet he will still remain pure, he would lay down his life for his brother, a righteous man, and by his shedding of blood in perdition he will not only break the first seal but also himself, for it is only by the blood of the lamb who looks as if it had been slain that this world may be reconciled unto God."_

"Err?"

"The apocalypse was spoken of even in my time, I didn't realise when Cas mentioned it that it was the true one."

"You mean there's been more than one?"

"Yeah, you lot seem to have one every five thousand years or so."

"Oh"

"It also means no matter how much you talk, it's probably not going to help."

"You mean the one time I'm ready to man up and talk about my feelings like a girl it's not going to work? Figures."

"_By his shedding of blood in perdition he will not only break the first seal but also himself, _hell leaves wounds on the soul at the best of times, yours would be deeper than most, and even when they are eventually healed, you'll always carry the scars of if, how could you not?"

"I get that, but how do I fix it? I can't keep going like this."

"Did you even read the animagus book?"

"Yes, _we all have an animal that both personifies us and acts as a spirit to guide us through life, _wait, that's it? I gotta find my spirit guide?"

"I think so, believe it or not, I don't know everything, but I think it would be a good place to start. Just meditate before you go to sleep, but forget about the animagus training and just concentrate on finding your guide, if that doesn't work, we have the whole Hogwarts library in which to find an answer."

"Yeah. Hey, thanks."

"You're welcome."

"You're really good at this."

"Really, because, to tell the truth, I have no idea what the hell to do half the time."

"You and me both."

And with that the two made their way inside.

* * *

><p>As Dean lay in his bed that night, he found slipping into the meditative trance that would enable him to access his magical core easy enough, but instead of doing his usual exercises, he found himself just poking around, soon enough he found himself once again in Bobby's living room, which made sense really, because other than the Impala, Bobby's was the only real home Sam and Dean ever had. So Dean seeing Bobby's house as a safe place wasn't that big of a stretch.<p>

Dean figured that this was some kind of construct where he kept all the bits and pieces of himself. As he looked around he could see one of Bobby's ball caps, Sam's favourite hoody, Dad's leather jacket, a picture of the Weasley's on the mantel, and Cas's trench coat thrown over the back of a chair.

"Ok, so you want to find your guide, and like an animagus it's properly hanging around your innermost self, so the question is, where would I hide my innermost self?"

Well, he was at Bobby's, so the safest place would be the panic room. When he got there, it wasn't just safe, it was fortified. It took him half an hour to find the key for the pad lock (it was hidden under the army man jammed in the ashtray in the back seat of the Impala, which was parked out front) then when he got the door open, the whole inside was painted with angel proofing and there was a ring of salt on the floor, inside the ring of salt was a ring of holy fire, inside the ring of holy fire was a key of Solomon.

Dean was able to walk past all the traps easily enough, and in the middle he found his wand and the colt sitting together, both of them broken, and Dean knew. This was him, underneath everything, he was broken. He just knelt over the shattered remains of who he was and cried.

He didn't know how much time past, but eventually he picked himself up and decided to get on with the task of putting himself back together. With that in mind he reached out to pick up the pieces, but when he touched them he suddenly found himself somewhere else.

He was in the woods, it was night, but the not quite full moon illuminated the landscape and it was winter if the snow on the ground was anything to go by. As he turned, Dean saw a pair of amber eyes looking out from the shadows, somehow this put him completely at ease. The next thing Dean knew his alarm was going off, telling him it was time to get up. As he got ready to go down to breakfast, Dean realised he felt better rested than he had in years.

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><p>The Link for The new cover art for this story can be found on my profile page.<p> 


	20. Chasing Tails

**Chapter 19 Chasing Tails**

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had thought that after everything that had happened since starting school things would be starting to calm down, but no, it seemed that another thing was being added to the story that was somehow his life.

Earlier that day had been the Gryffindor – Hufflepuff quidditch match, which was won by Gryffindor after Harry had caught the snitch five minutes into the game, at which point the Gryffindor team had retreated to the common room to celebrate. Well almost all of the Gryffindor team, it turned out that Harry had decided to drag his legs in the team locker room and had emerged just in time to see Snape sneak off into the forest, and Harry, being the curious idiot that he was, followed him.

"So your saying that the philosopher's stone is being hidden in the castle, and the staff members are protecting it?" Hermione asked.

"It looks like it." Was Harry's reply

"And Snape was threatening Quirrell?" was Hermione's next question.

"Yeah..."

"That actually makes sense" said Illyria.

"It does?" asked Dean sounding confused.

"Yes, most of the current staff have been here for at least five years, except for Quirrell, he only stared this year, so if someone is trying to steal it he would be the most likely candidate." Illyria explained.

"oh, I do have a question though, what is a philosopher's stone?" asked Harry.

"I... don't know." Came Illyria's reply

"You mean there's something you don't know? I thought you were raised in a school." Ron jibed. Illyria just gave him one of her best Snape looks as a reply.

"It is an alchemical substance, used to make the elixir of life, among other things." Hermione explained.

"Ok so there is a stone in the castle that can make the elixir of life, and Quirrell might be trying to steal it, shouldn't we be, I don't know doing something about that?" Harry said earnestly.

"Harry, there isn't much we can do, and if somebody is trying to steal it, they're not going to try while Dumbledore is in the castle." Said Illyria.

"yeah your right" said Harry deflating.

The conversation then moved onto other topics, but Sam knew that while Harry had let the subject drop for now, the boy's curiosity had been well and truly peeked.

* * *

><p>The end of the school year was approaching fast, and Dean was quickly discovering why staying in one school sucked. The teachers had decided with their exams fast approaching, that the students should get as much revision done as possible. Dean didn't think he had ever had so much homework in his life, ever, period. It was long, monotonous and boring, that and Sammy wouldn't just do it for him. The only highlight had been when Hagrid had somehow managed to get his hands on a dragon egg and his cousin Charley had come over from Romania to relocate it before it started causing trouble.<p>

Tonight however, despite his valiant effort, Dean just couldn't concentrate on his history of magic homework (not that this came as a surprise, because when it came to history of magic lessons, he was usually the first one to fall asleep due to the legendary powers associated with Binns drone.) so with that in mind Dean decided to call it a night.

Changing into his pyjamas and climbing into bed, Dean fell into the now familiar meditative trance, and while it didn't stop all of the nightmares from happening, it did lesson them, as well as making them less severe. That and most of his dreams now consisted of pottering around Bobby's house, making sure things were in order, or watching amber eyes in a moonlit forest. Normally being watched by a pair of obviously non human (or even human for that matter) eyes would freak Dean out, but there was such a strong protective aura that came with the eyes, that he couldn't help but feel safe.

Tonight it seemed, was going to be a forest night. So with that thought in mind, Dean found his usual tree, sat back and just enjoyed the quiet. It wasn't long however till the quiet was disturbed.

"Hello Dean." The voice somehow managed to sound like wolves, howling in the wind and when Dean opened his eyes he was met with the amber pair that he had been seeing for months. Except that now they had a large grey wolf attached to them.

"Err, hi?" was Dean's reply while thinking to himself that he sounded like an idiot.

The wolf gave a huff, and Dean had the impression that it was laughing at him.

"So, you got a name?"

"No, not yet"

"Seriously? Why not?"

"Because names are gifts, and can only ever truly be given, for the names we give ourselves rarely hold truth, and therefore have little value"

"Oh, so I should think of a name for you then huh?"

"No, I am a part of you, so you cannot name me. However, if you can catch me pup, I will be yours, I hope you enjoy the chase."

And with a canine grin, the wolf took off like a rocket. Watching as it went Dean's brain finally decided to catch up with what was going on, this was his animagus, testing him to see if he was worthy. But instead of some riddle or quest, he got the one who decided that Dean needed to chase him across his dreamscape, awesome.

So with that in mind Dean got up, grinning to himself, and took off after the animal into the night.

* * *

><p>Sorry to all of you who have been following this story for the delay, much like Dean's animagus, my muse ran away and I had to go chase it down.<p>

any reviews would be welcome.


	21. Headaches and Hellhounds

**Chapter 20 Headaches and Hellhounds.**

With the exams finally over, the first years found themselves with nothing to do for two weeks but enjoy the sunshine. Sam and Hermione found themselves participating an in depth discussion of the various exams they had taken, while Castiel was propped up under a nearby tree sketching a picture of the two. Dean and Ron where playing exploding snap, the two of them becoming more and more animated as the game went on, Harry watching, amused at their antics while absentmindedly rubbing his scar. Illyria sat next to him, just starting at her book.

Illyria could feel the beginnings of a headache building just behind her eyes, but given that she had just endured two weeks of exams, she thought that it was stress. She was however, proven wrong about thirty seconds later.

The last thing she was aware of was Harry shouting "I wish I knew what this means!" before the vision exploded across her mind.

_They were standing on a chessboard, the chess pieces at least twice the size of them, various pieces lying in ruins around the edge of the board. Looking at Dean, she spoke "You have to go with Harry Dean, don't make him do this on his own." Then turning and looking at Ron sitting on the horse "its ok Ron, I'll be alright." Then the chess piece was advancing on her sword raised._

"Ar-geh, ree-teh.*" Illyria uttered as she came back to reality

"Eh-teh-har, eh-teh-har*" Cas said as he held her hand.

"Cas?" Came Dean's enquiry

"I don't know" was the terse reply

"Amaushu-mgalanna xul ilu^" Illyria said as she sat up rubbing the bridge of her nose. "That was, not fun. Someone is going after the stone, tonight."

At this statement everybody started talking at once, Illyria winced at the sudden noise.

"One at a time please." She requested.

"Ok, explain" that was Dean.

"I, saw us, all of us, we were, standing on a chessboard, as if we were the game pieces, it felt like it was some kind of test. That's all I saw, but I just know that somebody is going after the stone tonight, and that we have to stop it." She explained.

"If somebody is going after the stone, then we should tell a teacher" Said Hermione.

"Do you really think I would be having prophetic visions of us on a chessboard if anybody was going to listen?" Illyria snapped, Hermione recoiling at her sharp tone.

"Sorry, it's just, my head hurts." Hermione nodded her acknowledgment.

"Ok, so unknown person is going to steal the magic stone tonight and Illyria is having visions of us being there, so as far as I can tell, it looks like we're playing chess tonight." Said Dean, grin on his face.

"You can't be serious, you're going to go gallivanting around to castle on a 'vision' and a hunch? If we get caught we are going to be in detention till the end of the year!" Hermione stated indignantly.

"It's not just that Hermione, my scar has been hurting all day, I think it's a warning. If we ignore this and something happens, well I don't think I could forgive myself if this turns out to be something important and I did nothing. So I'm going to go with them, if you want to come or not, well that's your choice." Said Harry passionately.

"Look, none of you have to come, but I'm going with Harry." Said Illyria

"Well I'm coming to, you lot are all useless at chess." Stated Ron.

"Hey man, we're there" Said Dean, with Cas and Sam nodding in agreement.

The group just watched as Hermione's resolve crumbled "We're all going to be expelled!"

* * *

><p>They spent the rest of the afternoon pretending that everything was alright, going off to their various common rooms after dinner. The group met up outside the door to the third floor at exactly 11:30 that night.<p>

"So no trouble getting here?" asked Sam.

"We almost ran into Peeves." Said Harry.

"I had to dodge a prefect" Said Illyria.

"I did not have any issues" Said Cas with his small not smirk.

"Awesome, so dog, right, let's do this." Said Dean, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, he slowly opened the door and stepped into the room.

Once in the room a harp could be heard playing and the Cerberus appeared to be sleeping.

"The harp must have put it to sleep." Said Harry

"Yes but it's paw is on the trapdoor that we want to go through" Hermione pointed out.

"We're gonna have to move it." Said Sam "Harry, Ron, give me a hand, everyone else, be ready to run, we don't know when this thing is going to wake up."

"Sam we don't know what's down there" Said Hermione in a tone that could only be described as a whine.

"Well we're just going to have to take that chance then" Said Dean, his eyes never leaving the dog.

"Ok you guy's ready?" asked Sam as he Harry and Ron stood next to the Dogs paw "on three, one, two, three!"

Once the paw was moved Dean opened the hatch and motioned for the others to go down.

Illyria went first followed by Cas, Harry then Sam. Just as Hermione was moving to jump down the hole, the Harp stopped playing and, much to Dean's visible horror, the dog immediately woke up.

"GO" Dean yelled as he shoved Hermione and then Ron down the hole, following them down as fast as he could.

Dean landed with a soft thump on a mass of black vines that Sam and Hermione seemed to be attacking with light, which when pointed in his direction, disintegrated the plant he had landed on and Dean found himself dropped onto a stone floor, the others Falling around him.

"Devils snare" Sam explained.

"Huh?" Dean said with a confused look.

"Killer plant, doesn't like light." Sam said in the tone of voice that said 'I'm using small word so that you will understand me,' Dean hated that tone.

"Ah, right. So, moving on?" Said Dean.

"You know, I always thought that Fred and Gorge were the crazy ones, but now I realise it's actually you two. You just happen to hide it better." Stated Ron.

The others just laughed at this.

* * *

><p>* Enochian written phonetically<p>

no, mercy

Peace

^ Sumerian

Lord of Bread of Life [is an] evil god

I apologise for any mistakes made with the languages, as I do not speak them. reviews are love.


	22. Checkmate

**Chapter 21 Checkmate**

Brushing off the near miss with both the Cerberus and the devils snare, the group moved forward. They found themselves following a stone passage until they came to a room that looked like it was filled with small birds.

"They're keys!" said Sam.

Dean then noticed to door on the other side of the room, walking across the room, he tried the handle.

"It's locked" turning his head he looked at the girls and asked "do either of you have a bobby pin?"

"No, sorry" Hermione replied as Illyria shook her head.

"Here" said Sam, offering Dean two paper clips.

"Awesome!" and with that Dean turned to work on the lock and after two minutes there was a 'click' as the tumblers moved into place.

"Gotta love it" Dean said smirking to himself "wizards spend so much time making sure that alohomora doesn't work, that they forget about good old fashioned lock picking. Shall we?" he asked as he opened the door with a flourish.

The following room was dark, but lights came to life as they entered the room. As they did, the group could clearly see that it was filled by a huge chessboard.

"Oh wow" said Ron.

"This is it, this is what I saw" Said Illyria.

"So we have to play our way across?" asked Harry.

"I think so" was her answer.

"Rightio, Ron, looks like you're up then." Said Dean.

Ron stepped up to the board and spent a few minutes in silence, contemplating his black chessmen.

"Ok, Harry, Dean, you're going to be bishops, Hermione, you take the king side castle, Sam, Illyria, I need you both to play pawns." Ron said, directing them.

"What about you?" asked Harry.

Smirking, Ron walked up to one of the chess pieces "I'm going to be a knight."

Once everybody was settled, a white chess piece moved.

"Ron, you don't think this is going to be like real wizard's chess do you?" asked Hermione in a timid voice.

"This is a defensive measure put in place to protect a powerful magic object, of course it's going to be like real wizards chess." Illyria stated.

"Oh" was all she could say.

Ron suddenly looked very worried.

* * *

><p>In spite of Ron's talent for chess, there were just too many people on the board for him to be able to protect them all and Illyria found herself in the exact same spot that she was in earlier that day.<p>

She watched as Ron endeavoured to find a way out for her, but she knew in the end that she would be taking that hit, it couldn't be avoided. So while she waited for Ron to realise the inevitable, she thought on the vision. In it she had told Dean not to let Harry go on his own, why?

Unless...

Then it came to her, they didn't belong here, her, Sam, Dean and Cas. They all came from somewhere else, they all were someone else. So following that thought through to its conclusion, Harry, Ron and Hermione would have done this without them, didn't need them. But if they weren't there, Harry would be facing whatever enemy that could be here alone, and if he did so now, would properly continue to do so in the future. Well she wasn't going to let that happen.

First step, get wacked on the head by a giant chess piece.

"Ron, there's no other way." She said.

"No, I'm not going to sacrifice you." Ron stated.

"We need to win this game, and to do that you have to let them take me alright."

Looking across the chessboard she said "You have to go with Harry Dean, don't make him do this on his own."

Then turning her gaze back she said "it's ok Ron, I'll be alright."

With that she took a step forward.

* * *

><p>It was like watching a car wreck, Dean couldn't look away, even though he wanted to. Illyria just stood there, waiting for the white chessman come. Once it reached her, it was like time slowed down. The chess piece lifting its sword, and swinging for her head. As the blow landed, a series of black veins exploded out from the swords point of contact. Thankfully the hit had been delivered by the flat part of the sword and not the edge, but Illyria still dropped like a stone and lost consciousness.<p>

Watching as the black veins moved along the skin of his friend, Dean was forcibly reminded of who she was, what she was. She was a monster, something so dangerous that she had been locked away for what was meant to forever.

Dean vaguely registered Sam making sure Hermione didn't move and then Ron going back to the game, but for the most part he was lost in his own thoughts. Was Illyria really a friend, or was it Ruby all over again. Chuck did say she had a soul, but was that really going to stop the monster inside her, or was the evil part just biding its time.

In the end the only thing he really could do is go by past experience and his gut. On the one hand there was Cas, Cas who turned against everything he was to help Dean, Cas who was loyal, who was his brother in everything but blood. On the other hand was Ruby, who appeared helpful and then turned around and stabbed them in the back, and who always felt, wrong, somehow. But at the end of the day with both Cas and Ruby, he never forgot that they weren't human, there was always something other about them. But with Illyria, he did.

Dean pulled himself out of his thoughts as the game was coming to an end. He didn't know a lot about chess, but it wasn't looking good, they were either going to lose Ron, or lose Harry, and Ron didn't look like he was up to putting another of his friends within swinging distance of the white chess pieces.

"Ok guys look, I'm going to make my move, and then the queen is going to take me, then Hermione, you move to take the king." Ron said.

"No Ron you can't" Hermione replied, tears welling up in her eyes.

"There's no other way." And with that Ron made his move.

The white queen came as predicted, swinging a stone arm at Ron with enough force to send him flying. He landed with a thump and then didn't move.

Hermione was crying as she made her move.

"Checkmate."

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><p>Free hugs to all who left reviews :D<p> 


	23. Exorcizamus Te, Omnis Immundus Spiritus

**Chapter 22 Exorcizamus Te, Omnis Immundus Spiritus**

"Checkmate"

With that the white king threw down his crown and the remaining white chess pieces parted allowing the group access to the door.

The game over, Dean found himself making his way over to Ron and Illyria, both of them still unconscious. Ron was breathing, had a pulse, and his pupils were reacting, so he looked like he was going to be alright. Turning he saw Sam doing the same for Illyria.

"Holy shit!" Sam suddenly shouted.

"What?" Dean asked.

Sam then showed Dean Illyria's eye, instead of being the normal dark brown colour, it was a vivid green, the iris encompassing the entire eye, with the pupil slit. This, along with the black veins that had shown up earlier, had Harry and Hermione visibly worried.

"What's wrong with her?" Hermione asked.

"Concussion most likely." Was Sam diagnosis.

"No I mean, I mean her eyes... and her skin..." she asked sounding hesitant.

"He knows what you meant, we just don't have time to explain right now. We should keep going." Dean said.

"Ok, I'll make sure these guys are alright then go and find some help" Sam said.

"I'll stay and help Sam, good luck." Cas said.

"Come on, let's go" Dean said, effectively shutting down any further questions about their suddenly green eyed friend.

With that the trio walked through the door.

In the next room was a large and thankfully unconscious troll. It didn't stop the thing from smelling worse than some corpses Dean had dug up in the past though. The trio quickly made their way past it and into the next room.

In it they found a table with seven bottles in a line. However once they had passed the threshold, flames immediately sprung up, barring the way both forward and back.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles and immediately began reading it.

Dean looked over her shoulder, it was a riddle.

"It's brilliant," exclaimed Hermione. "This isn't magic, its logic, a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"Then please tell me your smarter than a lot of the greatest wizards so that we aren't stuck in here forever" Dean pleaded.

"Give me a minute" She said.

Hermione seemed to ponder the riddle for several minutes, absentmindedly touching the bottles.

"Ok, that one," she said pointing to the smallest bottle "will take you forward."

"But there's hardly one swallow in that!" stated Harry

"We can make it stretch" Dean said with more confidence than he felt.

"Which one takes us back?" Harry asked and Hermione pointed to the bottle at the right end of the line.

"Ok Moine, you take that one and go help Sam and Cas." Dean said, then without waiting for a reply took a small sip from the small bottle before handing it to Harry.

"You coming" He asked with a grin before stepping through the wall of flames.

It was completely dark for several moments as Dean walked through the flames, before emerging on the other side, Harry coming through only moments after him.

The two found themselves in a small chamber, the only thing in it was a man and a mirror.

"Illyria was right" Harry muttered next to him. The man standing in the chamber was Professor Quirrell

"I wondered when I would be meeting you Potter, I see you brought the Gryffindor Prewitt with you as well." Quirrell sneered, and then pointing his wand at the two boys he yelled "Incarcerous"

"Oh wow, well done, you managed to tie up two boys, is that all you can pull out of your butt ugly turban?" Dean taunted.

Quirrell then pointed his wand at Dean "Crucio" and it was as if all his nerve endings were suddenly registering pain.

"Now, wait quietly. I need to examine this interesting mirror." Quirrell said before turning his back on both boys.

"Now what does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the Stone. But how do I get it?" Quirrell muttered to himself.

Then from seemingly out of nowhere there was a voice "Use the boy."

With that Quirrell was turning "Come here Potter! Now!" Suddenly the rope's tying Harry disappeared and he got up, his legs moving of their own accord towards the deranged man. "Tell me what do you see? What is it what do you see?"

"I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the House Cup." Said Harry sounding utterly unconvincing. Shit, Dean thought to himself, he really needed to teach Harry how to lie, like yesterday.

"He lies." The disembodied voice seemed to agree with Dean.

"Tell the truth! What do you see?" Quirrell demanded.

"Let me speak to him." Commanded the disembodied voice, this couldn't be good.

"Master you are not strong enough." Said Quirrell

"I have strength enough for this." The voice replied and with that Quirrell unwound his Turban and holy shit! There was face sticking out of the back of Quirrell's head. Suddenly this guy shot right to the top of Dean's list of weird ass shit, beating out Hogwarts singing sorting hat.

"Harry Potter, we meet again." The creepy face said.

"Voldemort " said Harry, oh Hell.

"Yes, you see what I have become? See what I must do to survive?" Voldemort monologed "Live off another. A mere parasite. But there is something that can give me a body of my own. Something that conveniently enough lies in your pocket." With that Harry took off like a rocket, thank Chuck.

"Stop him!" Voldemort yelled "Don't be a fool! Why suffer a horrific death when you can join with me and live?"

"Never!" cried Harry.

With that Dean had a though.

_"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus,_

_omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii,_  
><em>omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica."<em>

Voldemort was screaming in agony, it was working.

_"Ergo, draco maledicte._  
><em>Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire,<em>  
><em>te rogamus, audi nos."<em>

With the last word, a mass of grey smoke exploded out of Quirrell, and for a moment it seemed to take form, many heads stretching in different directions before it fled. With Voldemort gone from his body, Quirrell seemed to shrivel up, and by the time he had fallen to the floor, the man looked very much like a mummy.

"How did you do that?" Harry asked.

"It was an exorcism, come on untie me." Dean said.

"Now" Dean said as he got up "How the hell do we get back?"

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><p>On the home stretch, reviews are love. ^_^<p> 


	24. The Truth Can Be a Bitter Pill

**Chapter 23 The Truth Can Be a Bitter Pill**

It wasn't too long after that the Headmaster had shown up. Thankfully their luck had held and Illyria's eyes had returned to normal before he did.

They now found themselves sitting in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey haven given them all a clean bill of health, facing the headmaster and Professor Snape.

"Now I must impress upon you all the seriousness of what has happened tonight, so, in keeping with that, you will each receive forty points for your respective houses." Said the Headmaster.

The students all looked somewhat bewildered at this, while Professor Snape looked irate.

"Headmaster, if I may?" Snape said.

"They have performed a great service to our school Severus, I believe they should be treated accordingly. Don't you think?" Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling.

"If you think it best Headmaster." Was Snape's reply, visibly unhappy with the situation.

"Now, I must ask, what happened to Professor Quirrell?" enquired Dumbledore.

"Voldemort was somehow attached to the back of his head. Dean did an... exor... exis..."

"Exorcism" Dean interrupted, saving Harry from stumbling over the unfamiliar word.

"An Exorcism, you say, ingenious." Said the Headmaster, "well, I do believe that is everything, and while I am sure that you all wish to reminisce on what has happened tonight, I do ask that it wait until the morning after you have all rested. Now, off to your dormitories all of you." Said the Headmaster.

The group got up and made their way out of the infirmary, with Illyria having been tucked away within the folds of Snape's robes.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, what's going to happen to the stone?" asked Harry as he reached the infirmary doors.

"I will be speaking to the stone's owner as soon as I leave here, but rest assured Harry, whatever happens with it you needn't worry." Dumbledore said.

"Ok, goodnight Professor." Harry said.

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><p>After sleeping in, having lunch in the great hall, dodging the Hogwarts rumour mill that had somehow already found out (seriously how do people get a hold of this information?) it was three o'clock in the afternoon before they could all slip away to the room or requirement in order to talk about what had happened.<p>

They all sat down and looked at each other for a few minutes before Hermione finally asked a question.

"What are you?" She said looking at Illyria.

Illyria stiffened at this "What do you mean?"

"Last night, after you were knocked out, your skin and your eyes changed." Hermione explained.

"Oh" she said "I um..." Illyria looked around the room as if it would give her the answers. It didn't seem to have them.

Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she decided to tell the truth.

"I'm a leviathan, at the command of the entity you call God, I was given a soul and born here."

"What the bloody hell is a leviathan?" cried Ron.

"They are thought of as sea serpents for the most part, but we were considered so dangerous that we were imprisoned for all eternity." Illyria said, looking at the floor.

"Sea serpent? Imprisoned?" Ron stammered.

"Relax Ron, if she was going to eat you, I think she would have done it before now." Sam stated.

"I have no desire to eat anyone, and while it is a part of me, I can't access it, not consciously anyway." Illyria explained.

"So you're..." Hermione hedged.

"Yeah" Illyria said.

"I guess I can see why you wouldn't tell anyone" Harry said.

"Of course she wouldn't say anything, she's a ruddy sea monster that eats people." Ron yelled.

"Ron I have never once, in my very very long life, ever eaten a human being." Illyria said.

"Ever?" Ron asked.

"Never, I promise." She said.

"And you're not going too?"

"No, I think that's what the soul is there to ensure."

"oh.." Said Ron, now looking thoughtful.

"Do your parents know?" Asked Hermione.

"No, I don't really know how I would even bring the subject up with dad, and I haven't heard from my father in over ten years." Illyria said.

"Your wizard born?" asked Sam

"Yeah." Illyria replied

"So Snape is..." Said Sam

"My mother."

"Right" Sam said awkwardly

"Wait! Wizards can get pregnant?!" squawked Harry.

"Only if they're having sex with other men" stated Dean, his tone implying there was a duh in there somewhere. Everyone else in the just looked embarrassed after Dean's blunt statement.

"So" Hermione stated in a tone that said she was changing the subject "what happened with Professor Quirrell?"

Dean sat there for a moment, making moves as if he was about to speak, and then he turned and looked at Sam. The two seemed to have a whole conversation just by moving their eyebrows and twitching their shoulders before Sam finally said "The cats out of the bag anyway Dean, it's only a matter of time." Dean turned and looked at Cas, who merely met his gaze and said "I trust you Dean."

Then Dean with the help of Sam and Cas explained everything. How they ended up there, their mom dying, being raised on the road, Sam wanting a normal life and going to Stanford, Their dad disappearing, Jess dying, the year they spent tracking down their dad, Sam's visions, finding the colt, meeting yellow eyes, their dads deal. They talked about the special kids, cold oak, Sam dying and Dean's deal, the devils gate, killing Azazel, meeting Lilith, Dean being dragged to hell, Cas pulling him out, meeting angels, Sam's power's, Ruby, trying to stop Lucifer from escaping and then being tricked into letting him out, trying to stop the apocalypse, discovering Gabriel, hunting down the horsemen, having pizza with Death, shoving both Michael and Lucifer in the cage, meeting Samuel Campbell, Sam's eighteen months without a soul, Eve's escape from purgatory, Crowley as the king of hell and Cas's Deal with him, the angelic civil war, Cas breaking Sam's wall and swallowing all of purgatory, the leviathan's killing him and escaping, Bobby dying, Sam succumbing to madness, Dean's desperate prayer.

There were things they kept to themselves, like the demon blood, and they glossed over a lot of the details so that their story was age appropriate for the most part, but they told the truth, even though their life sounded like something that would find in a fantasy or horror novel.

Once they finished they waited a few moments for the others to process everything. In the end it was Ron who spoke up first.

"So you've been lying to us all this time?"

"Ron" Sam said pacifying tone.

"No, you lied to me, to mum, to dad, they took you into their home, and all this time you've really been somebody else. You, you..." and with that Ron stormed out slamming the door.

Dean watched as he left.

"Crap."


	25. The First Year Ends

**Chapter 24 The First Year Ends**

The last two weeks of school went by quickly, and seeing as nobody had come to drag any of them off to face an inquisition, it hopefully meant that Ron hadn't said anything about them. As it was he was giving them the cold shoulder. Hermione on the other hand was thrilled, once she had gotten over the shock that two of her friends were professional monster hunters and the other two were both powerful ancient beings that been around longer than humanity, she now had a seemingly unending stream of questions, most of which they were happy to answer. Harry seemed to be torn between treating them as he always had and staring at them like they would suddenly grow second heads.

The Final quidditch game was held, with Gryffindor soundly beating Ravenclaw and winning the quidditch cup for the first time in six years, Wood literally cried when Madam Hooch presented him with the trophy.

Soon though, everyone found themselves attending the leaving feast, the great hall looking quite festive decked out in yellow and black, in honour of Hufflepuff winning the house cup, with Ravenclaw coming in second followed by Gryffindor then Slytherin.

When the feast was over and the students were making their way off to bed, Ron came and asked them all if they could talk for a few minutes before everybody left. So they all found themselves trudging up to the seventh floor corridor. Once they had all sat themselves down comfortably Ron spoke.

"I wanted to say sorry, for how I acted the other week."

"You're apologising? You never apologise." Dean said, sounding incredulous.

Ron seemed to swell with righteous indignation at this statement before deflating "Yeah I know, but I was a right prat, so sorry." He finished lamely.

"It is alright Ron, we forgive you" said Cas with one of his small smiles.

"Thanks" Ron said with a smile of his own. "So, I wanted to show you guys something" his smile suddenly becoming a blinding grin.

With that Ron got out of his chair, one moment he was standing there, the next there was a small dog in his place.

It was a Jack-Russel Terrier, its head Weasley red with a white stripe down the middle and it looked to be in that awkward stage between being a puppy and an adult. The small dog gave a yip, and then Ron was standing there again.

"So this is why you wanted to apologise, so you could show off?" Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No! He, showed me something" Ron said, sneaking a glance at Sam "I really did mean what I said."

Something in his tone must have convinced Dean "Ok there Paws, we believe you."

With that Hermione reminded them of the time and they were all grinning at each other as they made their way to bed.

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><p>The next morning the student body boarded the Hogwarts express and was on their way home, the train filled with sounds of laughter and plans being made for the summer holidays, and before they knew it they were pulling into kings cross station.<p>

Ron was making plans with Harry, promising to see if he could come visit, while Sam Hermione and Cas were trying to see if they would be able to do their school shopping together. Illyria and Dean were just quietly walking together.

"You're worried about something" She asked Him

"Harry" Dean said in way of a reply

"How so?" she asked.

"Don't get me wrong here, I love my Dad, and he did the best he could in the circumstances, but after living with Aunt Molly and Uncle Arthur, I can tell the man really dropped the ball as far as me and Sam were concerned. Mentally Harry's old for his age, while physically he's smaller than he should be, that along with how he talks about his Aunt and Uncle..."

"You think they're abusing him?"

"Maybe not physically, but neglect is abuse too."

Illyria nodded "I'll talk to Dad, see what we can do maybe."

"Yeah, cos your Dad just looooves Harry." Dean's voice dripping with sarcasm, Illyria just nudged him with her shoulder.

"Either way, we'll figure something out Dean"

"Yeah.."

With that everyone got together for one last goodbye, before going their separate ways for the summer holidays.

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><p>Link for the <span>art<span> for this chapter can be found on my profile page

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	26. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

September 3rd 1991

_Bobby was standing in the kitchen, his father standing opposite him._

_"Punching women and kids is that what they call fatherhood in your day." _

_"Oh, you deserved it. Believe me. You were nothing but ungrateful."_

_"I was a kid! Kids ain't supposed to be grateful! They're supposed to eat your food and break your heart, you selfish dick! You died, and I was still so afraid I'd turn into you I never even had kids of my own."_

_"Good. You break everything you touch."_

_ "Uh-huh. Well, as fate would have it, I adopted two boys, and they grew up great. They grew up heroes. So you can go to hell!"_

****With that Bobby sat up in bed, shaking off the strange Dream. Looking at the clock he saw that it was 3:32 am, just as he was about to roll over and got back to sleep the phone started ringing. Getting up he answered the phone.

"Somebody better be dying"

_"Bobby it's John"_

"What do you want Winchester?"

_"It's Sam and Dean Bobby, Their missing."_

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><p>And that folks marks the end of book one, thanks to all of you who read and reviewed, keep and eye out for book two, coming soon.<p> 


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